11 Best Things to Do in Japan

When in Asakusa, visit the popular Buddhist temple, Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon Temple), which is the oldest in Tokyo and one of the most impressive. Many tourists associate it with the large red lantern hanging at one of its gates with engraved characters saying 'Kaminari-mon' or 'Thundergate'.

It's estimated that more than 30 million devotees flock here every year. The temple is dedicated to Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy. Legend has it that Sensoji was built in 645 for the goddess of Kannon. Another well-known structure at Sensoji is a 5-tiered pagoda that was built in 1649.

Kinkakuji Temple is one of the most visited attractions of Kyoto. Literally meaning 'Temple of the Golden Pavilion', this Zen Buddhist shrine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a breathtaking piece of architecture and is surrounded by a Japanese-style garden.

Known by many as Rokuonji or the Deer Garden Temple, Kinkakuji was built in 1397 as a retirement pavilion for Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga (1358-1409). The Golden Pavilion has 3 floors and stands 12.8 metres tall. Both the second and third floors are gilded with gold-leaf on Japanese lacquer, giving it such a unique appearance. Don’t miss the traditional tea room within the temple grounds.

A visit to Kiyomizu-dera in the wooded hills east of Kyoto is like travelling back in time.  This 'Pure Water Temple' is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Japan’s most celebrated temples. Kiyomizu Temple is best known for its 13-metre-high wooden platform that juts out from the main hall.

The platform affords visitors great views out over the numerous maple and cherry blossom trees below that burst into a bright sea of colour in spring and autumn. It also has panoramic views of Kyoto city centre in the distance. The main hall was built without the use of nails and houses the temple's primary object of worship: a small statue of the 11-faced, 1,000-armed Kannon.

The Shinjuku district in Tokyo, particularly Shinjuku Station, provides a truly surreal experience. With more than 2 million passengers passing through the station each day, it’s a constant sea of people busily heading to work in the towering skyscrapers that dominate the skyline above street level.

Shinjuku offers a little bit of everything, from bustling shopping centres and entertainment venues to serene parks and cultural sites. As one of Tokyo’s most diverse and vibrant centres, Shinjuku warrants a visit at any time of day or night.

Horyuji Temple, founded by Prince Regent Shotoku (574-622), is considered Japan’s oldest Buddhist Temple and the world's oldest existing wooden structure. Horyuji Temple features an original wooden kondo (main hall) that's more than 1,300 years old, a 5-tiered pagoda and many valuable Buddha images and sculptures.

Besides being one of the 7 great temples of the prefecture and the seat of the Shotoku sect of Buddhism, Horyuji Temple is credited to be the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan.

Covering 1,407 sq km, Nikko National Park is one of the most beautiful and most visited regions in Japan. It features wide moorland, waterfalls and lakes, forests that reach back in time as well as impressive mountains, such as Mount Okushirane, Mount Nantai, Mount Nasu and Mount Hiuchi.

The park has a number of spas that feature a plentiful supply of hot mineral water and are extremely popular with visitors. People flock to the park for its rugged beauty and to enjoy outdoor pursuits like mountain climbing, hiking, camping, boating, fishing, skiing and skating.

Named after a silver coin minted in 1612, Ginza district in Tokyo has the reputation of being one of the world’s most extravagant and luxurious shopping districts. Legendary stories of extraordinarily priced apples and the world’s most expensive cup of coffee emanate from Ginza.

Amidst the glamour of Ginza stand a number of traditional Japanese theatres and the world’s first capsule apartment building. The best time to visit is at weekends when the main roads are closed to traffic and the promenade opens up as a walking street lined with the riches of commercial Japan.

Unlike many other Japanese castles, Himeji Castle was never destroyed in wars, earthquakes or fires and survives in its original form. It’s both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site. The best-preserved castle in all of Japan, it serves as a classic example of Japanese castle architecture, having been designated a national treasure in the early 1930s.

Each spring, locals and visitors flock to its grounds to admire the cherry blossoms, picnic and immerse themselves in the enchanting surroundings.

One of Japan’s '3 Great Sights', Itsukushima Shrine is otherwise known as Miyajima, which means 'Shrine Island' in Japanese. The shrine is well known worldwide for its 'floating' torii gate as, at high tide, it appears to be unattached to the land whereas at low tide people can actually walk out to it.

The shrine complex consists of several buildings, including a prayer hall, main hall and a noh theatre stage, which are connected to each other by boardwalks and are all supported by underwater pillars. The shrine itself is situated in a small inlet, while the torii gate is set further out in the Seto Inland Sea. 

Minato Mirai 21, meaning 'Harbour of the Future', is a vibrant seaside urban development in Yokohama that epitomises modernity and innovation. This area features many futuristic buildings, including one of Japan’s tallest buildings, the 296-metre-tall Landmark Tower.

Visitors will be delighted by the wide array of attractions available, such as sprawling shopping centres, luxury hotels, a convention centre, an amusement park, various museums and a relaxation centre with hot spring baths. Minato Mirai offers an incredible range of leisure activities for the whole family.

In the late 1800s, while Western settlers were building homes up in Kitano-Cho, Chinese merchants set up shop in a two-block area now known as Nankin-machi, or Chinatown. Today, its Chinese flavour remains in this tightly-packed, vibrant area filled with streetside vendors selling snacks and souvenirs. At its central square in Nankin Park, animal statues represent each of the 12 years of the Chinese astrological calendar.

Public restrooms are not usually something to note, but the one in Chinatown, called Garyoden, or 'palace of a secluded wise man', has an outer wall that is spectacularly designed with dragons. Chinatown is also a great place to find a good, reasonably priced meal.