Japan

---

TRAVEL GUIDE

Tokyo

Lights, sushi, manga! Sprawling, frenetic, and endlessly fascinating, Japan’s capital is a city of contrasts. Shrines and gardens are pockets

Kyoto

The astonishing number of temples, shrines, and palaces that adorn the city make Kyoto's architecture its most famous feature worldwide. Japan

Central Kyoto

The two major sights in central Kyoto are the opulent Nijo Castle and the more modest Imperial Palace. Visiting the latter requires permission

Osaka

From Minami's neon-lighted Dotombori and historic Tenno-ji to the high-rises and underground shopping labyrinths of Kita, Osaka pulses with

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

This region, southwest of Tokyo between Suruga and Sagami bays, is one of Japan's most popular resort areas. The main attraction, of course

Eastern Kyoto

East of the Kamogawa River, in the neighborhoods known as Higashiyama (literally, Eastern Mountain) and Okazaki, are some of Kyoto's most dazzling

Kobe

Kobe resonates with a cool, hip vibe, a condition of its internationalism and its position between mountains and sea. With more than 42,000

Aoyama

As late as 1960, the area between the Meiji Shrine and the Aoyama Cemetery wasn't considered to be a very happening tourist hot spot; the municipal

Shinjuku

If you love the grittiness and chaos of big cities, you're bound to love Shinjuku. Come here, and for the first time Tokyo begins to seem real

Nagoya

In 1612 Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa established Nagoya by permitting his ninth son to build a castle here. Industry and merchant houses sprang up

Roppongi

Roppongi, once known for its clubs, bars, and nightlife, has become one of Tokyo’s major shopping, dining, and art districts. The area is abuzz

Greater Tokyo

The size of the city and the diversity of its institutions make it impossible to fit all of Tokyo's interesting sights into neighborhoods. Plenty

Sapporo

Modern, openhearted Sapporo is a good planning base for any trip to Hokkaido's wilder regions. Hokkaido's capital is also worth a few days'

Izu Peninsula

Izu is defined by its dramatic rugged coastline, beaches, and onsen (hot springs).

Yokohama

In 1853, a fleet of four American warships under Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into the bay of Tokyo (then Edo) and presented the reluctant

Shibuya

One of Tokyo’s busiest shopping and entertainment areas, Shibuya is a sometimes overwhelming mix of shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs. Shibuya

Asakusa

If there is one must-visit neighborhood in Tokyo, this is it. Asakusa brings together cultural sites, dining, and entertainment in vibrant

Nara

Nara is a place of synthesis, where Chinese art, religion, and architecture fused with Japanese language and Shinto traditions. The city was

Ginza

Long known as Tokyo’s ritzy shopping district, Ginza was originally the city’s banking district, and the district owes its name to the business

Minami

Tradition by day and neon by night, Minami is the place to come for Osaka history: Japan's oldest temple, a breathtaking collection of Japanese

Kanazawa

Twenty-first-century Kanazawa presents an extraordinary union of unblemished Old Japan and a modern, trendsetting city. More than 300 years

Nikko

Think nothing is splendid," asserts an old Japanese proverb, "until you have seen Nikko." Nikko, which means "sunlight," is a popular vacation

Kamakura

As a religious center, Kamakura presents an extraordinary legacy. Most of its temples and shrines are in settings of remarkable beauty; many

Naha

Okinawa's capital city is the center of commerce, tourism, and youthful enterprise in the region. People here are more laid-back than elsewhere

Matsuyama

Shikoku's largest city, Matsuyama prides itself on a great history, friendly disposition, fantastic cultural attractions, and a love for fine

Ueno

Located in the heart of Ueno, JR Ueno Station is Tokyo's version of the Gare du Nord: the gateway to and from Japan's northeast provinces. Since

Kita

Culture by day and glamour by night: Kita (north of Chuo Dori) is the place to come for the museums of Naka-no-shima, the city's deluxe department

Nagasaki

Blessed with a breathtaking location, Nagasaki is strung together on a long series of hillocks in a scenic valley that follows the arms of the

Sendai

Sendai is Tohoku's largest city, and its million residents enjoy the big-city amenities coupled with the easygoing vibe of a small town. Devastated

Hiroshima

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 am, a massive chunk of metal known as Little Boy fell from an American plane, and the sky ignited and glowed for

Harajuku

The heart of Tokyo's youth and street-fashion scene, Harajuku is home to a plethora of stores, boutiques, and cafés. But it isn't only a place

Kochi

Kochi has earned a reputation for being different. The locals are rough-talking, boisterous, and social, and their spirited city has an attitude

Imperial Palace District

The Imperial Palace district is the core of Japan's government. It is primarily comprised of the Nagata-cho (surrounding neighborhood), the

Hirara City

On the main island of Miyako-jima, sprawling, unremarkable Hirara, population 48,000, doesn't have much to see but offers plenty of budget

Niseko

For the best skiing in Hokkaido, head for Niseko's Grand Hirafu, Annupuri, Niseko Village, and Hanazono runs. Popular with Japanese skiers in

Akihabara

Akihabara is techno-geek heaven. Also known as Akihabara Electric Town, or just Akiba, this district was once a dizzying collection of small

Hakone

The national park and resort area of Hakone is a popular day trip from Tokyo and a good place for a close-up view of Mt. Fuji (assuming the

Takamatsu

If you're coming to Shikoku by train, your first stop will likely be Takamatsu, the capital of Kagawa Prefecture. Takamatsu combines urban verve

Nihombashi

Tokyo is a city of many centers. The municipal administrative center is in Shinjuku. The national government center is in Kasumigaseki while

Shikotsu-Toya National Park

Mountains, forests, hot springs, caldera lakes, and volcanoes are virtually in Sapporo's backyard, less than an hour's drive away. Route 230

Morioka

Morioka is a busy commercial and industrial city ringed by mountains, but it's more of a travel hub than a destination to visit; for that reason

Fukuoka

Fukuoka is an excellent base to begin exploring Kyushu. To get a sense of the city, walk along the meandering Naka-gawa River. The stunning

Matsue

Matsue is a city blessed with so much overwhelming beauty and good food that you will wonder what to look at, what to eat, and what to do first

Yufuin

Southwest of the majestic twin peaks of Yufu-dake, this tranquil village resembles a checkered quilt. Forests nestle up to clusters of galleries

Nara Koen

Nara Koen has the city's popular tourist sites. Even so, it is wide enough to accommodate thousands of giggling schoolchildren and other Japanese

Naoshima

In past centuries, pirate attacks were the biggest surprise you might encounter on the Seto Inland Sea. Now, it's the world-class art museums

Tokushima

Tokushima means "virtuous island"—ironic, considering the local residents' fondness for drinking, dancing, and hard partying. The city's annual

Tosho-gu

The Tosho-gu area encompasses three UNESCO World Heritage sites—Tosho-gu Shrine, Futarasan Shrine, and Rinnoji Temple. These are known as nisha

Matsumoto

Snowcapped peaks surround the old castle town of Matsumoto, where the air is cool and dry on the alpine plateau. More interesting and picturesque

Marunouchi

As a neighborhood that is largely devoted to business, Marunouchi has stronger options for dining than sightseeing. It is home to the recently

Kumamoto

Kumamoto is nearly midway along the curve of the west coast of Kyushu. From here you can go west to Nagasaki, north to Fukuoka, east to Aso

Northern Kyoto

The mountain, Hiei-zan, and the Ohara region are the focal points in the northern suburbs of Kyoto. For several centuries Ohara was a sleepy

Aomori

Throughout the year you can enjoy delicious seafood from Aomori Bay, including Oma no Maguro (Oma tuna), as well as delicious fruits and vegetables

Shiretoko National Park

A highlight of any trip to Hokkaido, the spectacular and miraculously uninhabited Shiretoko National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. On

Noto-hanto (Noto Peninsula)

Thought to be named after an Ainu (indigenous Japanese) word for "nose," the Noto-hanto, a national park, juts out into the Sea of Japan and

Takayama

Originally called Hida, Takayama is a tranquil town whose rustic charms are the result of hundreds of years of peaceful isolation in the Hida

Ishigaki-jima

A day of beachside R&R and a night in Ishigaki City's fun bars and cheap restaurants may be all it takes to make you want to move here.

Hagi

Hagi is virtually surrounded by two branches of the Abu-gawa—the river's south channel, Hashimoto-gawa, and the river's northeast fork, Matsumoto

Otaru

Otaru nets its wealth in tourists these days, but the canal where barges used to land the catch of the day is still the center of action for

Akita

In the scenic, faraway realm of Akita, the peaks of the Dewa Sanchi (Dewa Range), marked by Mt. Taihei, march off to the east, and the Sea of

Nagano and Environs

Nagano Prefecture is called the "Roof of Japan," home to the northern, central, and southern Japan Alps and six national parks that offer year

Sado Island (Sado-ga-shima)

Sado is known as much for its unblemished natural beauty as for its melancholy history. Revolutionary intellectuals, such as the Buddhist monk

Fuji Go-ko (Fuji Five Lakes)

To the north of Mt. Fuji, the Fuji Go-ko area affords an unbeatable view of the mountain on clear days and makes the best base for a climb to

Hakodate

Facing out on two bays, Hakodate is a 19th-century port town, with clapboard buildings on sloping streets, a dockside tourist zone, streetcars

Chuzenji-ko

More than 3,900 feet above sea level, at the base of the volcano known as Nantai-san, is Chuzenji-ko (Lake Chuzenji), renowned for its clean

Gifu

Gifu's main attraction is its 1,300-year tradition of ukai fishing, which uses live birds to catch fish in the river. The city center spreads

Tsuwano

This hauntingly beautiful town, tucked into a narrow north–south valley at the foot of conical Aono-yama and its attendant dormant volcanic

Arashiyama

Beyond the city is the semirural hillside area of Arashiyama, which lies along and above the banks of the Oi-gawa (the local name for the Katsura

Toyako

Hirosaki

Hirosaki is one of northern Tohoku's most attractive cities. It's most famous for its sweet apples, and its only real cultural attraction is

Yamagata

Yamagata, or Mountain Terrain, is the capital of the prefecture of the same name (and the sister city of Boulder, Colorado). It's a community

Western Kyoto

Western Kyoto's most iconic sights are the opulent golden temple at Kinkaku-ji and the dazzling rock garden at Ryoan-ji, but the city's western

Kurashiki

From the 17th through the 19th century, this vital shipping port supplied Osaka with cotton, textiles, sugar, reeds, and rice. Today Kurashiki

Ise

When you step off the train, you may feel that Ise is a drab city, but hidden in two forests of towering cedar trees are the most important

Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a laid-back, flowery, palm-lined southern getaway on the Satsuma Peninsula with mild weather, outgoing people, and a smoking volcano

Downtown Kamakura

Downtown Kamakura is a good place to stop for lunch and shopping. Restaurants and shops selling local crafts, especially the carved and lacquered

Downtown Kobe

In 1868, after nearly 200 years of isolation, Kobe's port opened to the West, and Kobe became an important gateway for cultural exchange. Confined

Odaiba

Odaiba is a man-made peninsula in Tokyo Bay, with its beginnings dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868), when various fortifications were

Iriomote-jima

Surging brown rivers, dense green forests, and crystal-blue seas are Iriomote's essential draws, and there's a surprising amount of helpful

Akan National Park

This national park is sometimes overlooked in favor of Daisetsu and Shiretoko, but offers great fishing and hiking opportunities.

Towada–Hachimantai National Park

Including the windswept expanse of Hachimantai Plateau, scenic Lake Towada, beech forests, marshes of wild flowers, and many hot springs, this

Kita-Kamakura

Hierarchies were important to the Kamakura Shogunate. In the 14th century it established a ranking system called Go-zan (literally, "Five Mountains

Tsukiji

Although it's best known today as the former site of the largest wholesale fish market in the world, Tsukiji is also a reminder of the awesome

Southern Kyoto

The most interesting southern Kyoto sights are three religious structures: Byodo-in, Fushimi-Inari Taisha, and Tofuku-ji. A UNESCO World Heritage

Kakunodate

The little samurai town of Kakunodate, sometimes called "Little Kyoto," was founded in 1620 by Yoshikatsu Ashina, the local lord, who chose

Nara-machi

Naramachi is a maze of lanes and alleys lined with old warehouses and machiya (traditional wooden houses) that have been converted into galleries

Niigata

The coast between Kurobe and Niigata is flat and not so interesting. Two towns along the way, Naoetsu and Teradomari, serve as ferry ports to

Hakuba

In the northwestern part of Nagano Prefecture, Hakuba Village lies beneath the magnificent Hakuba mountain range, the best of the northern Japan

Takachiho

Deep in the sacred mountains, a spiritual place full of atmosphere, is the birthplace of Japanese mythology. A visit to the Takachiho region

Western Nara

Horyu-ji is home to some of the oldest wooden buildings in the world. Just east of Horyu-ji is Chugu-ji, with one of the finest sculptures in

Inuyama

Inuyama sits along the Kiso River, on the border between Aichi and Gifu prefectures. A historically strategic site, the city changed hands several

Koya-san

This UNESCO World Heritage site is the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, founded by Kukai, also known as Kobo Daishi, in AD 816.

Abashiri

A good touring base for eastern Hokkaido, Abashiri is a small town in the shadow of Tento-san. On the town outskirts are shallow coastal lakes

Tsuruoka and Dewa-Sanzan

South of Akita along the Nihon-kai coast are small fishing villages where nets hang to dry only inches from train windows, vast plains of rice

Miyajima

Miyajima's majestic orange O-torii, or “big gate,” is made of several stout, rot-resistant camphor-tree trunks, and is famed for the illusion

Matsushima

Matsushima and its bay are the most popular coastal resort destinations in Tohoku, and they owe this distinction to an infatuation in Japan

Shiodome

Now a redeveloped business district, Shiodome (literally "where the tide stops") was once an area of saltwater flats where the Meiji government

Daisetsuzan National Park

The country's largest nature preserve, Daisetsuzan National Park contains the very essence of rugged Hokkaido: vast plains, soaring mountain

Okayama

The city of Okayama claims to have the most sunny days in Japan, and the disposition of the locals tends to reflect this. A beautiful black

Hase

On hydrangea-clad hillsides just outside downtown Kamakura are two of the town’s main attractions, the Great Buddha and Hase-dera Temple.

Karuizawa

When Archdeacon A. C. Shaw, an English prelate, built his summer villa here in 1886 at the foot of Mt. Asama in southeastern Nagano Prefecture

Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji)

Mt. Fuji is the crown jewel of the national park. There are six routes to the summit of the 12,388-foot-high mountain but only two, both accessible

Hiraizumi

A culture of gold flourished in Hiraizumi in the late 11th and 12th centuries, when the Oshu Fujiwara family, a then-powerful clan, chose to

Kashikojima

Tazawa-ko

The beautiful azure waters of Tazawa-ko, an almost perfectly round crater lake, can be enjoyed from the paths along the shore, a rented paddleboat

Kiso Valley

This deep and narrow valley is cut by the Kiso River and walled in by the central Alps to the east and the northern Alps to the west. From 1603

Zamami-jima

An island paradise with wonderful beaches, snorkelling, diving, and sea kayaking, on Zamami-jima, late January through March is prime whale

Yanaka

A short walk from the north end of Ueno Park, Yanaka is one of Tokyo’s most charming neighborhoods. It began as a temple town in the Edo period

Uchiko

This small farming town in the mountains south of Matsuyama was a major producer of Japanese paper and wax until the early 20th century Now

Mt. Takao

Yamadera

If you'd like to see one of Japan's most revered—and scenic—temple complexes, come up here on an easy day trip from Sendai or Yamagata.

Uwajima

A quiet fishing town south of Matsuyama on the Uwa Sea, Uwajima has two unusual claims to fame, its sumo-style bullfights and a sex museum that

Kotohira

Kotohira's draw is the Konpira Shrine, a mountaintop temple to the Shinto deity who protects seafarers. Though it's a long climb up a flight

Noboribetsu Onsen

If you want to see how many Japanese people prefer to relax and vacation on the cheap, this is the place to go. Noboribetsu Onsen is Hokkaido

Shingu

Shingu is home to one of the three great shrines of the Kumano Kodo, Hayatama-taisha 速玉大社 , which sits at the mouth of the Kumano River.

Nachi

Reputed to be 1,400 years old, this is perhaps the most impressive of the Kumano Kodo shrines.

Shirahama

Rounding the peninsula 54 km (34 miles) northwest of Shio-no-misaki, Shirahama is a small headland famous for its pure white-sand beach. If

Kusatsu

The highly touted hot springs at Kusatsu contain sulfur, iron, aluminum, and even trace amounts of arsenic. Just inside the border of Gunma

Toyama

Busy, industrial Toyama is beautified by Toyama-joshi Koen (Toyama Castle Park), a spread of greenery with a reconstructed version of the original

Kitano-cho

Wealthy foreigners, including Americans, English, and Germans, settled in the Kitano area in the late 19th century, bringing Western-style domestic

Shirakawa-go

It's speculated that the Shirakawa-go area—and particularly Ogi-machi, an Edo-period hamlet deep within—was originally populated by survivors

Iga Ueno

This small city halfway between Nagoya and Nara has some interesting claims to fame. Noted haiku poet Matsuo Basho was born here in the 1640s

Kamikochi

The incomparably scenic route from Matsumoto to Takayama winds over the mountains and through Chubu-Sangaku National Park (Chubu-Sangaku Kokuritsu

Fukui

Fukui, the capital city of the small eponymous prefecture on the Sea of Japan, doesn't have much to draw foreign visitors beyond amazing seafood

Asahikawa

Asahikawa, Hokkaido's second-largest city, is the principal entrance to Daisetsuzan National Park. It is not terribly cosmopolitan; daytime

North of Kobe

Thanks to Kobe's mountain backdrop, hiking is a popular local pastime. From Shin-Kobe Station it's a short climb to the Nunobiki Falls. For

Nibutani

Nibutani is one of the last places in Hokkaido with a sizable Ainu population—or at least part Ainu, as few pure-blooded Ainu are left. The

Biei and Furano

Flower fields and small farms at the base of the Daisetsuzan mountain range attract thousands of domestic and East Asian visitors hoping to

Himeji

Himeji City is about 50 km (33 miles) west of Kobe and is most easily accessed via the JR Express (Sanyo Line), which will deposit you in JR

Yudanaka Onsen and Shibu Onsen

Northwest of Nagano, these historic hot-spring towns are the gateway to the Shiga Kogen Plateau ski area, known for its alpine skiing and

Izumo Taisha

The oldest of Japan's Shinto shrines, Izumo Taisha has been of tremendous cultural significance—second only to the great shrine at Ise Jingu

Nagano

Rimmed by mountains, Nagano has been a temple town since the founding of Zenko-ji in the 7th century. In time for the 1998 Winter Olympics,

Tokashiki-jima

Aka-jima

Doro-kyo

The wide ocean views of the coastal journey to Shingu give way to gorges and mountainsides of a deep mossy green when you pass through the tunnel

Tokyo

Lights, sushi, manga! Sprawling, frenetic, and endlessly fascinating, Japan’s capital is a city of contrasts. Shrines and gardens are pockets

Kyoto

The astonishing number of temples, shrines, and palaces that adorn the city make Kyoto's architecture its most famous feature worldwide. Japan

Osaka

From Minami's neon-lighted Dotombori and historic Tenno-ji to the high-rises and underground shopping labyrinths of Kita, Osaka pulses with

Kobe

Kobe resonates with a cool, hip vibe, a condition of its internationalism and its position between mountains and sea. With more than 42,000

Nagoya

In 1612 Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa established Nagoya by permitting his ninth son to build a castle here. Industry and merchant houses sprang up

Sapporo

Modern, openhearted Sapporo is a good planning base for any trip to Hokkaido's wilder regions. Hokkaido's capital is also worth a few days'

Nara

Nara is a place of synthesis, where Chinese art, religion, and architecture fused with Japanese language and Shinto traditions. The city was

Kanazawa

Twenty-first-century Kanazawa presents an extraordinary union of unblemished Old Japan and a modern, trendsetting city. More than 300 years

Naha

Okinawa's capital city is the center of commerce, tourism, and youthful enterprise in the region. People here are more laid-back than elsewhere

Matsuyama

Shikoku's largest city, Matsuyama prides itself on a great history, friendly disposition, fantastic cultural attractions, and a love for fine

Sendai

Sendai is Tohoku's largest city, and its million residents enjoy the big-city amenities coupled with the easygoing vibe of a small town. Devastated

Hiroshima

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 am, a massive chunk of metal known as Little Boy fell from an American plane, and the sky ignited and glowed for

Nagasaki

Blessed with a breathtaking location, Nagasaki is strung together on a long series of hillocks in a scenic valley that follows the arms of the

Kochi

Kochi has earned a reputation for being different. The locals are rough-talking, boisterous, and social, and their spirited city has an attitude

Hirara City

On the main island of Miyako-jima, sprawling, unremarkable Hirara, population 48,000, doesn't have much to see but offers plenty of budget

Niseko

For the best skiing in Hokkaido, head for Niseko's Grand Hirafu, Annupuri, Niseko Village, and Hanazono runs. Popular with Japanese skiers in

Takamatsu

If you're coming to Shikoku by train, your first stop will likely be Takamatsu, the capital of Kagawa Prefecture. Takamatsu combines urban verve

Fukuoka

Fukuoka is an excellent base to begin exploring Kyushu. To get a sense of the city, walk along the meandering Naka-gawa River. The stunning

Morioka

Morioka is a busy commercial and industrial city ringed by mountains, but it's more of a travel hub than a destination to visit; for that reason

Naoshima

In past centuries, pirate attacks were the biggest surprise you might encounter on the Seto Inland Sea. Now, it's the world-class art museums

Matsue

Matsue is a city blessed with so much overwhelming beauty and good food that you will wonder what to look at, what to eat, and what to do first

Matsumoto

Snowcapped peaks surround the old castle town of Matsumoto, where the air is cool and dry on the alpine plateau. More interesting and picturesque

Tokushima

Tokushima means "virtuous island"—ironic, considering the local residents' fondness for drinking, dancing, and hard partying. The city's annual

Yufuin

Southwest of the majestic twin peaks of Yufu-dake, this tranquil village resembles a checkered quilt. Forests nestle up to clusters of galleries

Kumamoto

Kumamoto is nearly midway along the curve of the west coast of Kyushu. From here you can go west to Nagasaki, north to Fukuoka, east to Aso

Aomori

Throughout the year you can enjoy delicious seafood from Aomori Bay, including Oma no Maguro (Oma tuna), as well as delicious fruits and vegetables

Otaru

Otaru nets its wealth in tourists these days, but the canal where barges used to land the catch of the day is still the center of action for

Ishigaki-jima

A day of beachside R&R and a night in Ishigaki City's fun bars and cheap restaurants may be all it takes to make you want to move here.

Hagi

Hagi is virtually surrounded by two branches of the Abu-gawa—the river's south channel, Hashimoto-gawa, and the river's northeast fork, Matsumoto

Takayama

Originally called Hida, Takayama is a tranquil town whose rustic charms are the result of hundreds of years of peaceful isolation in the Hida

Noto-hanto (Noto Peninsula)

Thought to be named after an Ainu (indigenous Japanese) word for "nose," the Noto-hanto, a national park, juts out into the Sea of Japan and

Hakodate

Facing out on two bays, Hakodate is a 19th-century port town, with clapboard buildings on sloping streets, a dockside tourist zone, streetcars

Akita

In the scenic, faraway realm of Akita, the peaks of the Dewa Sanchi (Dewa Range), marked by Mt. Taihei, march off to the east, and the Sea of

Nagano and Environs

Nagano Prefecture is called the "Roof of Japan," home to the northern, central, and southern Japan Alps and six national parks that offer year

Toyako

Gifu

Gifu's main attraction is its 1,300-year tradition of ukai fishing, which uses live birds to catch fish in the river. The city center spreads

Hirosaki

Hirosaki is one of northern Tohoku's most attractive cities. It's most famous for its sweet apples, and its only real cultural attraction is

Yamagata

Yamagata, or Mountain Terrain, is the capital of the prefecture of the same name (and the sister city of Boulder, Colorado). It's a community

Tsuwano

This hauntingly beautiful town, tucked into a narrow north–south valley at the foot of conical Aono-yama and its attendant dormant volcanic

Kurashiki

From the 17th through the 19th century, this vital shipping port supplied Osaka with cotton, textiles, sugar, reeds, and rice. Today Kurashiki

Ise

When you step off the train, you may feel that Ise is a drab city, but hidden in two forests of towering cedar trees are the most important

Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a laid-back, flowery, palm-lined southern getaway on the Satsuma Peninsula with mild weather, outgoing people, and a smoking volcano

Iriomote-jima

Surging brown rivers, dense green forests, and crystal-blue seas are Iriomote's essential draws, and there's a surprising amount of helpful

Hakuba

In the northwestern part of Nagano Prefecture, Hakuba Village lies beneath the magnificent Hakuba mountain range, the best of the northern Japan

Niigata

The coast between Kurobe and Niigata is flat and not so interesting. Two towns along the way, Naoetsu and Teradomari, serve as ferry ports to

Kakunodate

The little samurai town of Kakunodate, sometimes called "Little Kyoto," was founded in 1620 by Yoshikatsu Ashina, the local lord, who chose

Takachiho

Deep in the sacred mountains, a spiritual place full of atmosphere, is the birthplace of Japanese mythology. A visit to the Takachiho region

Koya-san

This UNESCO World Heritage site is the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, founded by Kukai, also known as Kobo Daishi, in AD 816.

Inuyama

Inuyama sits along the Kiso River, on the border between Aichi and Gifu prefectures. A historically strategic site, the city changed hands several

Abashiri

A good touring base for eastern Hokkaido, Abashiri is a small town in the shadow of Tento-san. On the town outskirts are shallow coastal lakes

Miyajima

Miyajima's majestic orange O-torii, or “big gate,” is made of several stout, rot-resistant camphor-tree trunks, and is famed for the illusion

Tsuruoka and Dewa-Sanzan

South of Akita along the Nihon-kai coast are small fishing villages where nets hang to dry only inches from train windows, vast plains of rice

Matsushima

Matsushima and its bay are the most popular coastal resort destinations in Tohoku, and they owe this distinction to an infatuation in Japan

Okayama

The city of Okayama claims to have the most sunny days in Japan, and the disposition of the locals tends to reflect this. A beautiful black

Karuizawa

When Archdeacon A. C. Shaw, an English prelate, built his summer villa here in 1886 at the foot of Mt. Asama in southeastern Nagano Prefecture

Hiraizumi

A culture of gold flourished in Hiraizumi in the late 11th and 12th centuries, when the Oshu Fujiwara family, a then-powerful clan, chose to

Kiso Valley

This deep and narrow valley is cut by the Kiso River and walled in by the central Alps to the east and the northern Alps to the west. From 1603

Kashikojima

Uchiko

This small farming town in the mountains south of Matsuyama was a major producer of Japanese paper and wax until the early 20th century Now

Yamadera

If you'd like to see one of Japan's most revered—and scenic—temple complexes, come up here on an easy day trip from Sendai or Yamagata.

Tazawa-ko

The beautiful azure waters of Tazawa-ko, an almost perfectly round crater lake, can be enjoyed from the paths along the shore, a rented paddleboat

Shingu

Shingu is home to one of the three great shrines of the Kumano Kodo, Hayatama-taisha 速玉大社 , which sits at the mouth of the Kumano River.

Kotohira

Kotohira's draw is the Konpira Shrine, a mountaintop temple to the Shinto deity who protects seafarers. Though it's a long climb up a flight

Uwajima

A quiet fishing town south of Matsuyama on the Uwa Sea, Uwajima has two unusual claims to fame, its sumo-style bullfights and a sex museum that

Shirahama

Rounding the peninsula 54 km (34 miles) northwest of Shio-no-misaki, Shirahama is a small headland famous for its pure white-sand beach. If

Nachi

Reputed to be 1,400 years old, this is perhaps the most impressive of the Kumano Kodo shrines.

Kusatsu

The highly touted hot springs at Kusatsu contain sulfur, iron, aluminum, and even trace amounts of arsenic. Just inside the border of Gunma

Toyama

Busy, industrial Toyama is beautified by Toyama-joshi Koen (Toyama Castle Park), a spread of greenery with a reconstructed version of the original

Kamikochi

The incomparably scenic route from Matsumoto to Takayama winds over the mountains and through Chubu-Sangaku National Park (Chubu-Sangaku Kokuritsu

Iga Ueno

This small city halfway between Nagoya and Nara has some interesting claims to fame. Noted haiku poet Matsuo Basho was born here in the 1640s

Asahikawa

Asahikawa, Hokkaido's second-largest city, is the principal entrance to Daisetsuzan National Park. It is not terribly cosmopolitan; daytime

Fukui

Fukui, the capital city of the small eponymous prefecture on the Sea of Japan, doesn't have much to draw foreign visitors beyond amazing seafood

Biei and Furano

Flower fields and small farms at the base of the Daisetsuzan mountain range attract thousands of domestic and East Asian visitors hoping to

Shirakawa-go

It's speculated that the Shirakawa-go area—and particularly Ogi-machi, an Edo-period hamlet deep within—was originally populated by survivors

Nibutani

Nibutani is one of the last places in Hokkaido with a sizable Ainu population—or at least part Ainu, as few pure-blooded Ainu are left. The

Nagano

Rimmed by mountains, Nagano has been a temple town since the founding of Zenko-ji in the 7th century. In time for the 1998 Winter Olympics,

Yudanaka Onsen and Shibu Onsen

Northwest of Nagano, these historic hot-spring towns are the gateway to the Shiga Kogen Plateau ski area, known for its alpine skiing and

Izumo Taisha

The oldest of Japan's Shinto shrines, Izumo Taisha has been of tremendous cultural significance—second only to the great shrine at Ise Jingu

Doro-kyo

The wide ocean views of the coastal journey to Shingu give way to gorges and mountainsides of a deep mossy green when you pass through the tunnel

The Kansai Region

Stretching from Mie Prefecture in the east to Hyogo Prefecture in the west, the Kansai region is both a snapshot of archetypal Japan and a showcase

Side Trips from Tokyo

As diverse and exciting as the neighborhoods of Tokyo are, a short day trip or overnight away from the city offers a refreshingly different

Hokkaido

Hokkaido is Japan with breathing space. People here don’t put on the air-conditioning in summer—they open the windows. Outside, fragrant air

Tohoku

Tohoku translates as "east–north," and it is a path less traveled by foreign tourists. Though the recent addition of bullet trains has made

The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast

Until the 20th century brought highways and railways to central Japan, villages in this alpine region were largely isolated from the rest of

Shikoku

The smallest of Japan's four main islands, Shikoku has been a travel destination for Japanese people since the 8th century, when the Shingon

Kyushu

Kyushu's landscape couldn't be more varied, with active yet accessible volcanoes, numerous thermal spas, endless fields of rice and famous potatoes

Nagoya, Ise-Shima, and the Kii Peninsula

Nagoya punches well above its weight. The present-day industries of Japan's fourth-largest city are a corollary to its monozukuri (art of

Okinawa

Tropical climate, sun-kissed beaches and crystal-blue waters, deserted islands ringed by rainbow-hued coral reefs, verdant jungle trails, and

Western Honshu

Like disparate siblings, the two coasts of western Honshu have distinctly different personalities. Taken together, they embody the ancient and

Miyako Islands

Some intensive beach therapy can be engaged in here. In the southwest corner of the main island, Miyako-jima, is Maehama, perhaps Japan's finest

Northern Okinawa

North of Okinawa Honto, small towns sprawling up the coast are cut at intervals by resort hotels and some great treasures: active artisan enclaves

Kerama Islands

The Kerama Islands have many pristine beaches, and divers rate the coral and clear water off their coasts highly. There are two main islands

Iya Valley and Oboke-Koboke Gorges

In the Iya Valley, mountain villages cling to the side of improbably steep hills while turquoise rivers rush through the ravines below. This

Aso-san (Mt. Aso)

Aso-san comprises the world's largest caldera—128 km (80 miles) in circumference, from 18 km to 24 km (11 to 15 miles) wide in places—formed

Shimanami Kaido

This 60-km (37-mile) road-and-bridge route connects Imabari and Onomuchi and offers some of Japan's most pleasant cycling.

The Northern Cape and Islands

Japan's northernmost point is windy and empty. In the short summer season, tiny alpine flowers bloom in coastal grasslands and on rocky outcrops

Kirishima-Yaku National Park

According to Japanese myth, the mountainous, volcanic Kirishima is one of two possible places where Amaterasu's grandson descended to Earth

South of Naha

The culture park Okinawa World is an interactive trip through the islands' Ryukyu past, with restored houses, a large limestone cave, and traditional

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

This region, southwest of Tokyo between Suruga and Sagami bays, is one of Japan's most popular resort areas. The main attraction, of course

Shikotsu-Toya National Park

Mountains, forests, hot springs, caldera lakes, and volcanoes are virtually in Sapporo's backyard, less than an hour's drive away. Route 230

Shiretoko National Park

A highlight of any trip to Hokkaido, the spectacular and miraculously uninhabited Shiretoko National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. On

Akan National Park

This national park is sometimes overlooked in favor of Daisetsu and Shiretoko, but offers great fishing and hiking opportunities.

Towada–Hachimantai National Park

Including the windswept expanse of Hachimantai Plateau, scenic Lake Towada, beech forests, marshes of wild flowers, and many hot springs, this

Daisetsuzan National Park

The country's largest nature preserve, Daisetsuzan National Park contains the very essence of rugged Hokkaido: vast plains, soaring mountain

Sado Island (Sado-ga-shima)

Sado is known as much for its unblemished natural beauty as for its melancholy history. Revolutionary intellectuals, such as the Buddhist monk

Zamami-jima

An island paradise with wonderful beaches, snorkelling, diving, and sea kayaking, on Zamami-jima, late January through March is prime whale

Tokashiki-jima

Aka-jima