Hirosaki-jō

Japan

　　At the heart of Hirosaki-kōen lie the ancient remains of this castle, originally constructed in 1611. Rather tragically, only 16 years after it was built the castle was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground. Two centuries on, one of the corner towers was rebuilt and today it houses...

Yellow Pumpkin

Japan

　　This yellow pumpkin sculpture, by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, has become a symbol of Naoshima. It's perched on the end of a small jetty. Pumpkins are revered by Kusama for their quiet exuberance. Her style anticipated pop art and she claims to have influenced Andy Warhol. 　　The artist has also...

Pokémon Cafe

Japan

　　Pokémon fans will find it hard to pass on this chance to sample Pikachu-themed food and drink, made with classic kyara-ben (character bentō) techniques (like using thinly sliced daikon and nori to make round anime eyes). While it's predictably overpriced, the food isn't bad for a theme cafe. Seating is...

Womb

Japan

　　A long-time (in club years, at least) club-scene fixture, Womb is a reliable good night out on a Friday or Saturday if you want to lose yourself in the music (mostly house and techno) and the club's famous laser light shows. Weekdays are hit or miss. Cover ¥1500 to ¥4000;...

Kinkaku-ji

Japan

　　Kyoto's famed 'Golden Pavilion', Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. The main hall, covered in brilliant gold leaf, shining above its reflecting pond is truly spectacular. Needless to say, due to its beauty, the temple can be packed any day of the year. It's best to go early in...

Dazaifu Tenman-gū

Japan

　　Among the countless visitors to the grand, sprawling Tenman-gū – shrine and burial place of poet-scholar Tenman Tenjin – are students making offerings and buying amulets in hopes of passing college entrance exams. 　　The hondō (main hall) was rebuilt in 1591. Behind the shrine is the Kankō Historical Museum, with...

Ryōan-ji

Japan

　　You’ve probably seen a picture of the rock garden here – it’s one of the symbols of Kyoto and one of Japan’s better-known sights. Ryōan-ji belongs to the Rinzai school and was founded in 1450. The garden, an oblong of sand with an austere collection of 15 carefully placed rocks,...

Tokyo Character Street

Japan

　　From Doraemon to Hello Kitty and Pikachu, Japan knows kawaii (cute) and how to merchandise it. In the basement on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station, some 15 Japanese TV networks and toy manufacturers operate stalls selling official plush toys, sweets and accessories. ...

Art House Project

Japan

　　In Honmura, half a dozen traditional buildings have been turned over to contemporary artists to use as the setting for creative installations, often incorporating local history. Highlights include Shinro Ohtake's shack-like Haisha, its Statue of Liberty sculpture rising up through the levels of the house; James Turrell's experiment with light...

Jigokudani Monkey Park

Japan

　　Pleasant in winter when shrouded in snow but less appealing when seasonally bare, Jigokudani Monkey Park is wildly popular. Made famous by the 1992 film Baraka, where wild monkeys appear to bathe in natural onsen pools, the park sees thousands flock here each year to view the over-photographed troupe of...

Izumo Taisha

Japan

　　Izumo Taisha, also known as Izumo Ōyashiro, is perhaps the oldest Shintō shrine in Japan. This shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, god of marriage and bringer of good fortune, is as old as Japanese recorded history – there are references to Izumo in the Kojiki, Japan's oldest book – and its...

Matsuo-jinja

Japan

　　A Shintō shrine dedicated to the god of sake. Sake is brewed here every year in the lead-up to Saijō Sake Matsuri. It's a five-minute walk north of Saijo Station inside a park. ...

Numazukō

Japan

　　This is one of Tokyo's better kaiten-sushi (conveyor-belt sushi restaurants), with fish sourced daily from the fish market in Numazu (south of Tokyo on Sagami-wan). Its popularity means that few plates make it around the long, snaking belt without getting snatched up (you can also order directly from the menu)....

Kikunoi

Japan

　　Michelin-starred chef Murata serves some of the finest kaiseki in the city. Located in a hidden nook near Maruyama-kōen, this restaurant has everything necessary for the full over-the-top kaiseki experience, from setting to service to exquisitely executed cuisine, often with a creative twist. Reserve through your hotel at least a...

Shirara-hama

Japan

　　Shirahama's main beach is famous for its white sand – though what's there now was imported from Perth in the '90s, as the original sand was lost to erosion. It's a crescent-shaped cove, relatively sheltered from the currents, making it very popular with families during summer holidays (mid-July to August);...

Mt Fuji

Japan

　　Why you should goFuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks. Hundreds of thousands of people climb it every year, continuing a centuries-old tradition of pilgrimages up the sacred volcano (which, despite its last eruption occurring in...

Takinō-jinja

Around Tokyo

　　Just to the left of the entrance to Futarasan-jinja is a 1km wooded path leading to Takinō-jinja, part of the greater shrine precinct. Just in front is the stone gate, Undameshi-no-torii. Before passing though, it's tradition to try your luck tossing three stones through the small hole near the top....

Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss

Around Tokyo

　　Along this particularly scenic stretch of the Daiya-gawa, where white rapids swirl around rocks, is a row of Jizō statues, the small stone effigies of the Buddhist protector of travellers and children. There were once 100, though many were damaged in a flood a century back, and remain in various...

Nikkō Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park

Around Tokyo

　　About 1km west of Shin-kyō bridge, this splendidly restored imperial palace (c 1899) of more than 100 rooms showcases superb artisanship, with parts of the complex dating from the Edo, Meiji and Taishō eras. Apart from the construction skills involved there are brilliantly detailed screen paintings and serene garden views...

Futarasan-jinja

Around Tokyo

　　Futarasan-jinja was founded over 1200 years ago as a place to worship the mountain Nantai-san (2484m), his mountain consort, Nyohō-san (2483m), and their mountainous progeny, Tarō-san (2368m). The current main hall dates to 1619, making it the oldest major structure in Nikkō. Though painted vermilion and with a sloping roof...

Rinnō-ji

Around Tokyo

　　Rinnō-ji's grand main hall, Sanbutsu-dō ('Hall of Three Buddhas'), was first built in 848; the current structure dates to 1645 and, with restoration work just completed in spring 2021, is now a brilliant shade of vermilion. Inside are a trio of gilded wooden statues, 8m-tall and seated on lotus pedestals....

Yōmei-mon

Around Tokyo

　　Adorned in gold leaf and some 500 carved images depicting folk tales, mythical beasts and Chinese sages, the 'Sunset Gate' is the most revered traditional gate in Japan and a sight to behold. Worrying that its perfection might arouse envy in the gods, those responsible for the gate's construction had...

Taiyū-in

Around Tokyo

　　Taiyū-in, completed in 1653, is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–51), the third Tokugawa shogun and grandson of Ieyasu. (Ieyasu was deified, which earned him a shrine; Iemitsu was given an 'ordinary' temple burial). It has many of the same features as Tōshō-gū: monumental gates, elaborate woodcarvings, lacquer and gold...

Tōshō-gū

Around Tokyo

　　Tōshō-gū is Nikkō's biggest attraction, a shrine to the powerful shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616). No expense was spared: when the original structure (completed in 1617) was deemed unsuitably grand, Ieyasu's grandson had it renovated two decades later, calling on the most celebrated artists of the day to work on the...

Yokohama Port Museum

Yokohama

　　Adjacent to the magnificent Nippon Maru, is this comprehensive, if somewhat dry, port museum. It's worth a visit for its detailed model ships and ship simulator, where you can attempt to dock safely into Yokohama Port against the clock. 　　There's a nice little cafe-bar, Akito, on the terrace facing the...

Sankei-en

Yokohama

　　This beautifully landscaped garden was established by a wealthy silk trader, Sankei Hara, and opened to the public in 1906. Paths winding between ponds lead to 17th-century buildings, several fine tea-ceremony houses and a 500-year-old, three-storey pagoda. From Yokohama or Sakuragi-chō Station, take bus 8 to Honmoku Sankei-en-mae bus stop...

Nippon Maru Sailing Ship

Yokohama

　　This magnificent, four-masted barque (built in 1930 as a training ship for naval cadets) sits in a wet dock adjacent to the Yokohama Port Museum, and is fascinating to board and explore. Tickets also include entry to the museum building. ...

NYK Hikawa Maru

Yokohama

　　Moored at the eastern end of Yamashita-kōen, this 1930s luxury liner has stories to tell from its days conveying well-heeled Japanese passengers to Seattle, and later as a hospital ship in WWII. Inside you can see cabins (one of the staterooms was used by Charlie Chaplin), lounges, the engine room...

Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

Yokohama

　　Nine ramen restaurants from around Japan were hand-picked to sell their wares in this theme-park-style replica of a 1958 shitamachi (downtown district) that's lit to feel like perpetual, festive night-time. It's a short walk from Shin-Yokohama station – ask for directions at the station's information centre. 　　All of the restaurants...

Hara Model Railway Museum

Yokohama

　　Hara Nobutaro (1919–2014) was Japan's pre-eminent trainspotter, taking the pastime to a typically Japanese level of obsessiveness as this superb personal collection of model trains and other railway-associated memorabilia shows. Even if you don't care much for trains, the model railway – a mammoth gauge-one diorama of moving locomotives where...

Yokohama Museum of Art

Yokohama

　　The focus of the Yokohama Triennale (2020, 2023), this museum hosts exhibitions that swing between safe-bet shows with European headliners to more daring contemporary Japanese and up-and-coming Southeast Asian artists. There are also permanent works, including by Picasso, Miró and Dalí, in the catalogue. ...

Cup Noodles Museum

Yokohama

　　This impressively slick attraction is dedicated to, you guessed it, cup noodles. But in reality, its focus is more broad, with numerous exhibitions detailing the entrepreneurial spirit of Momofuku Ando (the inventor of instant noodles), and, even more broadly, the vital importance of creative thinking. Its host of wacky exhibits...

Sendai City Museum

Sendai

　　The city museum offers a comprehensive account of samurai Masamune's epic life, as well as displaying more than 13,000 artefacts on loan from the Date family, with plenty of explanations in English. ...

Sendai Mediatheque

Sendai

　　Housed in an award-winning structure designed by Japanese architect Itō Toyō, this cultural hub includes a library, art galleries and event spaces. Check the website to see if anything is going on when you're in town. ...

Sendai Castle Ruins

Sendai

　　Built on Aoba-yama in 1602 by Date Masamune and destroyed during Allied bombing, Sendai-jō still looms large over the city. Giant moss-covered walls, as imposing as they are impressive, remain intact and the grounds offer sweeping views over the city. ...

Zuihō-den Mausoleum

Sendai

　　The mausoleum of Date Masamune sits majestically atop the summit of a tree-covered hill by the Hirose-gawa. Built in 1637 but destroyed by Allied bombing during WWII, the current building, completed in 1979, is an exact replica of the original, faithful to the ornate and sumptuous Momoyama style. ...

Jōmyō-ji

Kamakura

　　This Tokasan temple of the Rinzaishu Kenchō-ji sect was originally a tantric Buddhist temple and converted to a Zen temple. The main reason to visit is for its atmospheric rock garden and teahouse where you can sip on matcha (powdered green tea) in a traditional tea ceremony (¥600). To get...

Zuisen-ji

Kamakura

　　The grounds of this hillside Zen temple make for a blissful stroll in fine weather and include lovingly tended gardens laid out by Musō Soseki, the temple's esteemed founder. To get here, take the bus from stop 4 at Kamakura Station and get off at Ōtōnomiya (¥200, 10 minutes); turn...

Hase-dera

Kamakura

　　The focal point of this Jōdo sect temple, one of the most popular in the Kantō region, is a 9m-high carved wooden jūichimen (11-faced) Kannon statue. Kannon (avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit) is the Bodhisattva of infinite compassion and, along with Jizō, is one of Japan's most popular Buddhist deities. The temple...

Engaku-ji

Kamakura

　　Engaku-ji is one of Kamakura's five major Rinzai Zen temples. It was founded in 1282 for Zen monks to pray for soldiers who lost their lives defending Japan against Kublai Khan. All of the temple structures have been rebuilt over the centuries; the Shariden, a Song-style reliquary, is the oldest,...

Zeniarai-benten

Kamakura

　　One of Kamakura's most alluring Shintō shrines, which you can enter via tunnel or a trail above; it's located along the Daibutsu hiking trail. Washing money in the water here supposedly brings back three times the wealth when you spend the washed cash. ...

Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū

Kamakura

　　Kamakura's most important shrine is, naturally, dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war. Minamoto no Yoritomo himself ordered its construction in 1191 and designed the pine-flanked central promenade that leads from the shrine to the coast. The sprawling grounds are ripe with historical symbolism: the Gempei Pond, bisected by bridges,...

Daibutsu

Kamakura

　　Kamakura's most iconic sight, an 11.4m bronze statue of Amida Buddha (amitābha in Sanskrit), is in Kōtoku-in, a Jōdo sect temple. Completed in 1252, it's said to have been inspired by Yoritomo's visit to Nara (where Japan's biggest Daibutsu holds court) after the Minamoto clan's victory over the Taira clan....

Kenchō-ji

Kamakura

　　Established in 1253, Japan's oldest Zen monastery is still active today. The central Butsuden (Buddha Hall) was brought piece by piece from Tokyo in 1647. Its Jizō Bosatsu statue, unusual for a Zen temple, reflects the valley's ancient function as an execution ground – Jizō consoles lost souls. Other highlights...

Hida Kokubun-ji

Takayama

　　The original buildings of Takayama's oldest temple were constructed in the 8th century, but later destroyed by fire. The oldest of the present buildings dates from the 16th century. The temple's treasure hall houses some Important Cultural Properties, and the courtyard boasts a three-storey pagoda and an impressively gnarled gingko...