Osaka
This classic shopping arcade wends along the path of an old moat (from an earlier, larger incarnation of Osaka-jō), long since filled in. The arcade suffered little damage in WWII and thus has a few older buildings, which, along with the small-time vendors selling pickles, roasted sweet potatoes and the like, gives it an aura of decades past.
Look to the surrounding lanes for cafes and boutiques in restored wooden buildings.
26.84 MILES
The covered Nishiki Market (Nishiki-kōji Ichiba) is one of Kyoto’s real highlights, especially if you have an interest in cooking and dining. Commonly…
1.9 MILES
This César Pelli–designed tower, which opened in March 2014, is Japan's tallest building (300m, 60 storeys). The observatory on the 16th floor is free,…
25.24 MILES
The thick green bamboo stalks seem to continue endlessly in every direction and there’s a strange quality to the light at this famous bamboo grove, which…
18.48 MILES
Nara's star attraction is its Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the largest bronze statues in the world. It was unveiled in 752, upon the completion of the…
13.2 MILES
Hōryū-ji was founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku, considered by many to be the patron saint of Japanese Buddhism. It's renowned not only as one of the oldest…
26.91 MILES
A buzzing hive of activity perched on a hill overlooking the basin of Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto's most popular and most enjoyable temples. It…
24.94 MILES
With seemingly endless arcades of vermilion torii (shrine gates) spread across a thickly wooded mountain, this vast shrine complex is a world unto its own…
27.52 MILES
A collection of soaring buildings, spacious courtyards and gardens, Chion-in serves as the headquarters of the Jōdo sect, the largest school of Buddhism…
0.7 MILES
Built above the ruins of Naniwa Palace (c 650), visible through the ground floor, this museum tells Osaka's story from the era of this early palace to the…
0.71 MILES
An Osaka landmark for over a century, this 600m-long market is in equal parts a functioning market and a tourist attraction. Vendors selling fresh fish,…
0.73 MILES
Highly photogenic Dōtombori is the city's liveliest night spot and the centre of the southern part of town. Its name comes from the 400-year-old canal,…
0.84 MILES
Home of the most famous statue of Kuidaore Tarō – the drum-banging clown who represents the city's culture of kuidaore ('eat 'til you drop').
0.85 MILES
This tiny temple hidden down a narrow alley houses a statue of Fudō Myō-ō (a deity of esoteric Buddhism), covered in thick moss. It's a favourite of…
0.87 MILES
This narrow two-storey museum is worth a visit for anyone with an interest in ukiyo-e (woodblock prints). It mainly displays prints of famous kabuki…
0.87 MILES
You can't miss the giant animated crab that marks the entrance to Kani Dōraku Honten, which is, of course, a crab restaurant. The shop sells tasty crab…