Japan Things to Do

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by jlanza29
 
  • Can't get any fresher !!!!
      Can't get any fresher !!!!
    by jlanza29
  • view 2 of Hiroshima from Hiroshima Castle
      view 2 of Hiroshima from Hiroshima...
    by KevinMichael
  • one of the entrances to Hiroshima Castle
      one of the entrances to Hiroshima Castle
    by KevinMichael
  • Itsukushima Shrine
      Itsukushima Shrine
    by KevinMichael
  • Hiroshima Peace Museum
      Hiroshima Peace Museum
    by KevinMichael
 

Most Viewed Things to Do in Japan

1.

Asakusa   Tokyo

Asakusa, Tokyo

 158 Reviews  Sensoji Temple is believed to be the first temple ever built in the Tokyo area and was originally founded by a fisherman, Haji Nakatomo, who is said to have built the temple after finding a statue of... 

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2.

Gion (Geisha district)   Kyoto

Gion (Geisha district), Kyoto

 64 Reviews  It's not a long walk but it really holds a historical look. building looks new but in the old japanese style. Restaurants there are little above the average price wise. at the end of the road you will... 

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3.

Universal studio   Osaka

Universal studio, Osaka

 26 Reviews  in japanese that ture but still loads for fun for those who have never been to universal stuido of usa. just access the site of universal sutio and you will understand everthing , it is a very... 

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4.

Nagoya Castle   Nagoya

Nagoya Castle, Nagoya

 28 Reviews  With its famed golden shachi dolphin roof decorations, Nagoya Castle is the de-facto symbol of the city. Built in 1612, the main edifice was reconstructed in 1959 on its original foundation after... 

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5.

Chinatown (Nankin-Machi)   Kobe

Chinatown (Nankin-Machi), Kobe

 12 Reviews  Kobe is home to one of Japan's three most famous Chinatowns (Yokohama and Nagasaki being the other two), so when the Chinese New Year arrives (setsubun), the Chinatowns are great places to visit, and... 

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6.

Peace Park and Memorial Museum   Hiroshima

Peace Park and Memorial Museum, Hiroshima

 128 Reviews  I once stayed with a friend who lived a stone's throw away from the Peace Museum in Nagasaki and since then, I have always wondered what it was like to live near a building charged with so much... 

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7.

Todaiji Temple   Nara

Todaiji Temple, Nara

 75 Reviews  Todai-ji ("Great Eastern Temple") is reputedly the largest wooden structure in the world, and it houses what must be one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha around, the Daibutsu or Great Buddha.... 

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8.

Snow Monkey Park   Nagano

Snow Monkey Park, Nagano

 4 Reviews  Without a doubt, one of the coolest spectacles in all of Japan is to watch the wild snow monkeys of the Japanese Alps sit out a snowy winter day soaking in the hot waters of a naturally-heated onsen.... 

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9.

Itsukushima Shrine   Miyajima

Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima

 30 Reviews  If you are in the Hiroshima city, you must visit Itsukushima-Jinjya in Miyajima. It's the shrine (not a temple) with famous red torii (gate) in the water, but has lots more than just the... 

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10.

Korakuen Garden   Okayama

Korakuen Garden, Okayama

 12 Reviews  Korakuen Garden is considered to be one of the three best gardens in Japan since the Edo Period. It was constructed by Tsuda Nagatada by orders of the daimyo Ikeda Tsunamasa and took thirteen years to... 

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11.

Shinjuku   Tokyo

Shinjuku, Tokyo

 72 Reviews  This was a stunning experience with all the different varieties of cherry trees in full blossom. Incredibly beautiful! The garden is run by the Ministry of the environment now but it has a long... 

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12.

Kiyomizu Temple   Kyoto

Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto

 98 Reviews  I really loved the short visit I made to this place. i like the atmosphere of this narrow streets with souvenirs shops along your way up the hill to the temple. the temple is realllllly huge and you... 

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13.

castle   Osaka

castle, Osaka

 62 Reviews  Visit the Castle... its very interesting. Its a fairly long walk from the Rail Station, but its an interesting walk and the Castle is quite unusual which is why it should be seen. Pity to go all the... 

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14.

Shrines & Temples   Nagoya

Shrines & Temples, Nagoya

 12 Reviews  1900-year-old shrine with lush evergreen forest is best known by one of the three Imperial Regalia, Kusanagi sword. The shrine saw the modification after the Meiji Restoration. It is a nice place to... 

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15.

Meriken Park & Harborland   Kobe

Meriken Park & Harborland, Kobe

 24 Reviews  in this area, you can do a lot. there is the mosaic mall just on the other side from kobe tower, all the cafe and restaurants there have the sea view. i wrote a review about the aswome fisherman... 

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16.

Miyajima   Hiroshima

Miyajima, Hiroshima

 33 Reviews  I was skeptical about the appeal of Mt. Misen since one round trip ticket costed me 1800 yen, which was by far the most expensive ropeway I had ever used. "No view is worth this much, " I remember... 

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17.

Nara Park   Nara

Nara Park, Nara

 33 Reviews  There is around 1000 Deers rooming Nara , they eat somthing called Shika Senbei which is rice crackers specially made for them. they costs 150 en and sold every where. But take cares they are... 

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18.

Zenkoji Temple   Nagano

Zenkoji Temple, Nagano

 5 Reviews  The main hall is typical Buddhist architecture from the mid Edo Period. The principle image is enshrined inside the altar in the innermost temple. Admission to the inner temple is 500 Yen, and... 

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19.

Five-Tiered Pagoda   Miyajima

Five-Tiered Pagoda, Miyajima

 8 Reviews  The beautiful curved roofs of the Goju-no-to Pagoda and strinking vermilion colouring are a familiar sight on the island of Miyajima. Standing on a hill overlooking the bay and Itsukushima Shrine, the... 

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20.

Kibiji District (Kibi Plains)   Okayama

Kibiji District (Kibi Plains), Okayama

 6 Reviews  Saijo Inari is known as one of the three great Inari Shrines in Japan (Fushimi Inari in Kyoto and Toyokawa Inari in Aichi being the other two). It is unique, because the complex is composed of a... 

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21.

Imperial Palace   Tokyo

Imperial Palace, Tokyo

 61 Reviews  this is the second of the famed double bridge in the Imperial Palace Front plaza area. There are two bridges over a moat separating the Kokyo Gaien and the Imperial Palace - these are called... 

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22.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)   Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto

 102 Reviews  Three-storey Zen Buddhist temple. Each floor was done in different architectural style - the ground floor is Heian imperial architecture, the second floor typifies warrior aristocracy and the top... 

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23.

Dotombori   Osaka

Dotombori, Osaka

 22 Reviews  Dotombori is a street in Namba alligned with eateries, arcades, and shopping centers. Many people do come for food and shopping, but the area itself is actually an attraction of sorts. The restaurants... 

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24.

Aquarium   Nagoya

Aquarium, Nagoya

 7 Reviews  The most interesting thing for me in this Aquarium is the dolphins performance. They really brilliant. Cool !! Beside that you can see the big whales and you can find nemo and dory also in here... 

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25.

Mount Rokko   Kobe

Mount Rokko, Kobe

 7 Reviews  A highland pasture spread on the peak of Mt. Rokko. Sheep, donkeys and ponies are free to graze, and visitors can come in close contact with the animals. Children can learn and try to take milk from... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Temples shukubo

by Pascalev

Thank you very much;Yes , Koyasan, i know and plan to stay there. And i want to stay in Nara aera and Miyajima and Kyoto.I also just find Soto zen homepage,very useful:http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/fre/temples/foreigner/index.htmlSoreja..Pascal

Basho Monuments

by taigaa001

Basho is one of the most well-known haiku poets in Japan. He travelled extensively around Japan during late 17th century. You can find Basho monuments in old highways such as Tokaido, Nakasendo, or Oshu Kaido.

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Hiroshige Landscape in 2011

by taigaa001

Where are the places to get the photos just like Utagawa Hiroshige described in his masterpiece Tokaido 53 stop series?Photo#1 FUCHUThe mountain behind the Hiroshige's Fuchu currently in Shizuoka city is said to be Mt. Tokuganji. But as you cross the bridge over the Abe River along the Tokaido highway, you will soon see that both the direction and the distance do not fit for the mountain in question. The mountain in #1 photo is the peak where Abe castle ruins is located. It perfectly fits the frame. Photo#2 NISSAKAAlthough "Night-weeping Stone" is no longer on the Tokaido highway and what's more confusing there are two night-weeping stones, the landscape with the backdrop of the mountain is unchanged. You can see this landscape like #2 photo as you pass the Oogiya shop. The mountain on the Hiroshige's Nissaka is Mt. Awagatake 532 meters in elevation. Sayono Nakayama area is about one...

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Visit a Castle

by dancinbudgie

If you only have time to visit one castle in Japan, try to make it Himeji. This castle is known to the japanese as "Shirasagi-jo" or, "The White Egret Castle", and is one of the 12 feudal castles still remaining. We spent the entire day at Himeji, exploring the castle and grounds and found it not only fascinating but beautiful. I think we were lucky, as it was cherry blossom season, which made for a lovely backdrop...however, a nice japanese man approached us and gave us an envelope full of photo's he had taken of the castle in all seasons, and it looked brilliant no matter what time of year!More photo's in my Himeji travelogue.

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Walk the Nakasendo

by dancinbudgie

We stayed in the old Post Town of Tsumago for 3 nights. It was a highlight of our trip. Part of the reason we came here was to walk the 'Nakasendo' (the old Edo time 'highway'. We did the trail from Magome to Tsumago (even the baby who wasn't yet 2), and nobody was eaten by bears (mind you, we had our trusty bear bell tinkling all the way), or collapsed from fatigue...it is actually quite an easy walk once you get up the hill at Magome. We met a japanese man who was in his 80's along the way...so it really is do-able for all ages, although I don't think doing it from the opposite direction would be as easy as it would be mostly uphill...we caught the bus to Magome from Tsumago (an experience in itself), and walked back along the trail.I don't really believe for a minute there are still bears, but the bells make a great souveneir!

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Tsumago Town...Finding 'old' Japan

by dancinbudgie

Tsumago is one of the old post towns along the Nakasendo. The Nakasendo was the road that once connected Edo (Tokyo), with Kyoto. Travellers would stop to rest in the post towns on their journey's. Tsumago has been kept as much as possible in its original state from those times. There are no telephone poles or TV aerials in view, and the road is closed to traffic. It was very interesting to spend time wandering around here and also very relaxing. There were no where near as many tourists as we had expected, and in the early morning we had the place pretty much to ourselves. There are a number of little tea/coffee shops and also a great little ice-cream shop selling green tea ice-cream.

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Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Challenge

by nihonongaku

I have called this a challenge for a reason, when I arrived and saw all the Torii I went for a little dander, which turned into a stroll, which turned into a walk and finally into an agonizing fast pace panic as I began to wonder if I was lost and ever going to find the way out never mind find the top. After further reading I found out there are in fact over 10,000 of these Torii gates leading some 4km into the hills for your standard casual 2 HOUR stroll. Should have read that before I went. A bit of advice is to go early because it can become a bit dangerous and slippery when it gets dark. I went in the afternoon in June (the rainy season) hence the panic. It is really worth it though a nice spring sunshine was high in the sky allowing for some beautiful glare shots through the Torii. It is a really picturesque place and perfect for the professional or aspiring photographer. Or like me...

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Kyoto City Tour

by pharsadi

If you are in Kyoto, you can do a half day city tour. The city tour can be booked at the JR Kyoto train station. They have many different packages to suit your needs. Prices ranges from mid 1000 yen to mid 9000 yen. If you want the convenience, this kind of tour might be for you. But if you don't like your time to be restrained while visiting places of interests, this tour might not be for you. And also, if you want to do the tour, check whether or not it is a Japanese language only tour.

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KOYASAN - MT KOYA

by Pixiekatten

KOYASAN - A World Herritage SightWhen you had enough of the cities and need to escape the madness and noice, go to Koyasan.Let the temples and shrines here blow you away. Go hiking in the hills. Stay at a temple, listen o the monks tell the stories of Buddhism. Meditate. Relax.NOT TO BE MISSED:The shrines of divinities! Several shrines in one small area. Some of the most beautiful in Japan, I thought anyway. For great temple to stay at, see my accomodation tips!

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USUKI - Home of the ancient stone Buddhas -

by Pixiekatten

This small town was one of the highlights on my trip. It was quiet and relaxed. Cute, traditional streets lead me past USUKI CASTLE RUINS and out of the town. On my way to see the STONE BUDDHAS , carved into a mountain.It was about a 3km walk to get there (perfect to get a bike since busses dont go very frequent), following a quite big busy road. However there was a good space for walking and cycling so it wasn't a problem. But for being late mid-May it was extremely hot. BRING WATER!!The area where the stone Buddhas can be found is worth all the trouble to get there!!! Tucked away in a bamboo forest the carvings are impressive and a amazing way to spend the day. Walking up and down those hills, listening to the birds singing, hearing the breeze in the trees, looking up on the faces of Buddha sure brings a special fealing in your gut. Peace. Of heart and mind!Also not to be...

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Top 3 Hotels in Japan

Park Hyatt Tokyo  Tokyo

 7 Reviews and 525 Opinions  Most memorable 

 Hotels in Tokyo

Hotel Granvia Kyoto  Kyoto

 6 Reviews and 740 Opinions  We stayed 3 nights at Kyoto Granvia Hotel from Feb. 27 to Mar 1, 2008. We paid Yen 17,600 per night,... 

 Hotels in Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton Osaka  Osaka

 1 Review and 351 Opinions

 Hotels in Osaka

Questions and Answers

Jarahako profile photo

Q:  Hello, I'm going to Japan next week and wanted to get some suggestions on hotels in Tokyo. I would like to stay somewhere close... 

SfumatoPants profile photo

A: Take a look at my Tokyo page for some answers to your questions: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/d6834/ Shinbashi is convenient to Yokohama as well. You don't... 

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