Japan Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions
Several first-time tourists to Japan are frequently surprised to find out that, as a first world advanced industrialized country, this rather little Asian nation also boasts a fascinating and rich history dating back 1000s of years.
Indeed, way before several of Europe's most impressive cathedral were ever conceived and constructed, Japan was ahead of everyone with its Buddhist and Shinto temples being already firmly-established and luring both pilgrims and patrons for often their intricate decor and designs. And around the same time, Japan was also already fine-tuning the trades and skills which would put it on the sure road to wealth, from fine ceramics and porcelains to textiles like silk.
A lot of this wealthy tradition has, in spite of natural devastation and wars, been preserved in one fashion or another, ensuring that a visit here becomes a memorable one. Boasting a ceaseless list of great attractions, exciting activities to do, and sites of interest worth exploring, a vacation, whether lasting one or two weeks, Japan is definitely a superb investment of both your time and money.
Learn which are the top places to see with my Japan travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in Japan.
1) Mount Fuji. As Japan's most readily recognizable landmark, the awe-inspiring Mount Fuji is in addition the nation's highest mountain peak. Soaring 3,776 meters above a contrarily mostly flat geography to the south and east, the fabled and majestic mountain rises high enough to be observed from Tokyo, over 100 kilometers away!
For centuries Mount Fuji has been exalted in literature and art and is today regarded as such an important icon that it received in 2013 UNESCO recognition for its world cultural significance. Because it belongs to the Fuji-Hakene-Izu National Park, over a million people climb Mount Fuji every summer as a sort of pilgrimage-related act, culminating in observing the sun rising from its summit.
Though a few yet start climbing from the foot, most climbers begin from beyond the midway part, specifically at the fifth Station, and the result is a more doable 6 or-longer-hour ascent. Those who do try to finish the climbing, are advised to leave in the afternoon, interrupting the climb with a reasonable overnight stay at a Mountain Hut, which was designed to accommodate such a practical need. A timely start the next morning gets you to the summit for the sunrise as a bonus.
2) Imperial Tokyo. Tokyo's Imperial Palace, the city's most famous landmark, with its magnificent 7th-century parks bordered by moats and walls, is a definite must-see while visiting Tokyo. Don't be disappointed because most of the palace is restricted to the public, for there's yet more than enough to view just by taking a stroll through the grounds.
Besides several remarkable views of this palace from many angles in the parkland, tourists are allowed to enter the East Higashi-Gyoen Garden as well as other sections which are now open to the general public and part of a well-organized tour. The famed Nijubashi Bridge offers very romantic views, named on account of its watery reflection.
Another worthy attraction is the renowned Ginza shopping district, which contains the Kabuki-Za Theatre hosting its Kabuki performances and the Shimbashi Enbujo Theatre hosting traditional Bunraku performances and Azuma-odor dances.
3) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Although not much could be said about the horrors of an atomic bomb devastating Hiroshima towards the end of World War ll, a lot could be said about the admirable work this lively city has done to commemorate several deaths resulting from the unprecedented first nuclear attack in the world. Probably even more significantly, Hiroshima is now a place symbolizing enduring peace.
Visited by over a million tourists every year, and lying at the atomic explosion's epicenter where it used to be a bustling area of the city, in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park you'll see notable museums, memorials, and monuments relating to that fateful day.
Besides the gardens that show off their bright, blooming flowers, the park is home to the Peace Memorial Museum, displaying many exhibits that address the topic of world peace. Also, here you can visit the Atom Bomb Dome, which constitutes the remains of an administrative structure, standing at the heart of the blast; and the Memorial Cenotaph and the Flame of Peace.
4) Historic Kyoto. As one of the country's most visited cities, beautiful Kyoto happens to be among the few cities to survive WWll's vast destruction, and it's no wonder that over 10 million tourists visit each year. The majority come here to seek Kyoto's excellent architecture and old streets, much of it the same since the royal family started residing here over one thousand years ago.
Back then, Kyoto was the country's most significant cultural center. In fact, this legacy continues presently with is several art galleries and museums, each packed with important paintings, sculptures, and additional art forms.
Notable examples of the city's architecture, influenced by Buddhists, include its several well-preserved temples, of which 30 are yet in use, and significant buildings like the fourteen-century Golden Pavilion, renowned for its lovely gold-leafed exterior.
Do not dare overlook visiting Nijo Castle; it's a seventeen-century fortress that succeeded in retaining its original moat, walls, and towers. Also worth checking out are the castle's exquisite gates and its palace that boasts fine interior decor.
Another landmark to see is the genuine Kyoto Imperial Palace. Constructed in AD 74, it has become a major historical site attracting numerous tourists.
Indeed, your visit to Kyoto wouldn't be totally complete if you didn't explore Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. This beautiful section of high bamboo is only under a ten-minute stroll from Kyoto's town center.
5) The Island Shrine of Itsukushima. Only a quick ferry trip from mainland Hiroshima you'll find Miyajima island, world-famous as the country's Shrine Island. Encompassing an area of about thirty square kilometers in the Hiroshima Bay, today Miyajima is better known for containing Itsukushima Shrine, which is a Shinto temple and a dedication to the wind god Susanoo's princess daughters.
Dated from the 8th-century, most of the shrine's structures stand in a small Bay's waters and are supported just by piles of wood. The resulting effect of the high tides is truly amazing, causing these fragile buildings to seem as though they are just floating on water.
Connected together by a network of bridges and walkways, it's a great area to explore, particularly its bigger halls. These include the beautiful Honden, or Main Hall, Hall of a Thousand Mats, the Prayer Hall, and the Offerings Hall.
Another worthy feature happens to be the shrine's stage, and here musical performances and traditional dances entertain visitors. Other notable exploration includes the island's lovely grounds and gardens, where you might see many bird colonies and wild deer.
