Beauty Unparalleled: Top 13 Amazing Places in Japan

From the crowded city streets of Tokyo to the ancient park of Nara. Japan mesmerizes travelers from all over the world with unparalleled beauty that it posses. Below are 13 top tourist destinations in Japan. 


Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan. It became the de facto capital of Japan even while the emperor lived in Kyoto, the imperial capital. After about 263 years, the shogunate was overthrown under the banner of restoring imperial rule. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo. Tokyo was already the nation's political and cultural center, and the emperor's residence made it a de facto imperial capital as well, with the former Edo Castle becoming the Imperial Palace. Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands.

Kyoto

Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. Although archaeological evidence places the first human settlement on the islands of Japan to approximately 10,000 BC, relatively little is known about human activity in the area before the 6th century AD, around which time the Shimogamo Shrine is believed to have been established. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. The Monuments of Ancient Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist attraction here.  Kyoto also has 14 World Heritage Sites.

Iriomote-Jima

 Iriomote-Jimais is the largest of the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa, Japan. Until the end of World War II, Iriomote was largely uninhabited due to its infestation by malaria. It was used primarily as agricultural land to grow rice. Additionally, during the war some residents of Ishigaki were forcibly made to take refuge in Iriomote, many of whom contracted malaria. The island has an area of 289 km². The total population is less than 2,000, and infrastructure is limited to a single coastal road connecting the hamlets on the northern and eastern shores. The views at Urauchi River (浦内川 Urauchigawa) on the west side of the island. The longest river in Okinawa, running deep inland through dense mangroves and often likened to a little Amazon can be quite spectacular, especially on a still morning.

Takayama

Takayama is a city near the northern Japan Alps of Gifu prefecture, in the Chubu region of Japan. Takayama is famous for its well-preserved quarter with Edo-style streets, only rivalled by those of Kanazawa. The Hida Folk Village (飛騨民俗村 Hida Minzokumura), also known as Hida-no-Sato (飛騨の里), is an attractive open-air museum assembled from real buildings that effectively recreates an entire traditional mountain village. Not only can you tour the village, but artisans continue to work in many buildings; you can buy their crafts and even try your own hand at a number of activities.

Nara

Nara an ancient capital city in Nara Prefecture, Kansai region of Japan. Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784, lending its name to the Nara period. According to the ancient Japanese book Nihon Shoki, the name "Nara" derived from the Japanese word narashita meaning "made flat". The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture. Eight temples, shrines and ruins in Nara, specifically Tōdai-ji, Saidai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Gangō-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōshōdai-ji and the Heijō Palace remains, together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest, collectively form "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nara Park Most of Nara's sights, including temples, shrines and famously mercenary deer, are concentrated in Nara Park (奈良公園 Nara-kōen), a wide, pleasant space of greenery. According to legend, the god of the Kasuga Taisha came riding a white deer in the old days, so the deer enjoy protected status as envoys of the god; however, based on their current behavior, either the deer have lost the job, or the god has taken an extremely passionate interest in biscuits from tourists (¥150), empty food wrappers and harassing shopkeepers.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. Hiroshima was founded on the river delta coastline of the Seto Inland Sea in 1589 by the powerful warlord Mōri Terumoto, who made it his capital after leaving Koriyama Castle in Aki Province. Hiroshima Castle was quickly built, and Terumoto moved in in 1593. Terumoto was on the losing side at the Battle of Sekigahara. Hiroshima is the center of industry for the Chūgoku-Shikoku region, and is by and large centered along the coastal areas. Hiroshima has long been a port city and Hiroshima port or Hiroshima International Airport can be used for the transportation of goods.

Osaka

Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu. The devastation during World War II was enormous, as fleets of American B-29 bombers blasted away on a regular basis in the last year of the war. Many people fled and most of the industrial districts were severely damaged. However the city quickly rebuilt its infrastructure after 1945 and regained its status as a major industrial and cultural center.

Matsuyama

Matsuyama is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. Matsuyama was in medieval times part of the Iyo-Matsuyama Domain, a fiefdom of Iyo Province consisting mainly of a castle town, supporting Matsuyama Castle. There was a nearby village at Dōgo Onsen to the east and a port somewhat farther to the west at Mitsuhama providing a link to the Japanese mainland (Honshū) and Kyūshū. The city is known for hot springs (onsen) and is home to Dōgo Onsen, the oldest hot spring bath house in Japan. A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle.  While having read Sōseki's novels or Shiki's haiku is by no means essential to enjoy most of these sites, it will probably represent the difference between whether you find them evocative pieces of history or just a pleasant collection of Meiji-era buildings.

Nagasaki

Nagasaki is the capital of Nagasaki prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. After the war the World War II and atomic bombing the city was rebuilt after the war, albeit dramatically changed. New temples were built, as well as new churches due to an increase in the presence of Christianity. Some of the rubble was left as a memorial, such as a one-legged torii gate and an arch near ground zero. Among the many popular in Nagasaki is the Site of the Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan. A monument and a museum stand on the site where 20 Japanese Christians and six European missionaries were crucified in 1597. These martyrs were canonized as saints in 1862.

Fukuoka/Hakata

Fukuoka/Hakata location of Fukuoka's main train station, Hakata Station.

Formerly, Hakata was an independent city. Hakata, which was closer to the sea, housed the city's merchants. From Heian period to Azuchi-Momoyama period, Hakata's merchants traded with Chinese, Korean, and other overseas merchants. Taira no Kiyomori is said to have built the artificial harbor Sode-no-minato (袖の湊) to gain an increase in commerce. Visit the ACROS building is Tenjin Chuo Park. ACROS has a rooftop garden which is open during the day, and makes for a good view of the city. The building has a terraced roof that merges with the park and contains some 35,000 plants representing 76 species. Just east of ACROS is the former Prefectural Guest House, featuring turn of the century architecture.

Nikkō

Nikkō is a small town to the north of Tokyo, in Tochigi Prefecture. Shōdō Shōnin (勝道上人?) established the temple of Rinnō-ji in 766, followed by the temple of Chūzen-ji in 784. The village of Nikkō developed around these temples. The shrine of Nikkō Tōshō-gū was completed in 1617 and became a major draw of visitors to the area during the Edo period. The shrine took 2 years to complete with the efforts of 15,000 workers.

Daisetsuzan National Park

Daisetsuzan National Park is located in the mountainous center of the island of Hokkaido. Sounkyo Onsen. Famed hot spring resort on the far north park of the park close to Kuro-Dake. See Sounkyo Onsen.

Usuki

Usuki is a prefecture of Kyushu, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1950. On March 31, 1954, multiple towns were merged into it. On January 1, 2005, the town of Notsu was amalgamated with Usuki to form the current Usuki City.  It is famous for its Usuki Stone Buddhas, a national treasure, and its soy sauce production. Recently it has become known for having the look and feel of a Japanese castle town. Shouen Village in Bungo Takada- where the landscape and rice fields have kept the same natural scenery in tact for 800 years. You can experience a farm stay here