Blog Article

Part of the Ring of Fire, Japan spans an archipelago of over 14,000 islands. Japan is home to stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. We’ve compiled a short list of interesting and thoughtful tourism spots for you to visit.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Located just west of downtown Kyoto, Arashiyama is a very popular tourist destination full of Temples and Imperial Villas. Central to the district is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, a magnificent walk through towering bamboo stalks along a beautifully paved path that forms the famous “Bamboo Alley”, one of Kyoto’s most photographed sights. Visit the gardens of the Tenryu-Ji Temple, and then continue through the grove to Okochi-Sanso villa, admission to which includes a Japanese sweet and some hot matcha tea!

Mt. Fuji

One of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains”, Mount Fuji has long been considered the sacred symbol of Japan. Surrounded by temples and shrines, climbing the mountain has long been a religious practice with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and recreational climbers alike ascending the summit during the July-August climbing season. Plenty of other activities surround Mount Fuji, with the Five Fuji Lakes to the north, and numerous botanical gardens, amusement parks, gold courses, and ski resorts in the surrounding areas.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine is the most important of several thousand shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Located in southern Kyoto, it is famous for its thousands of vermillion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails leading into the wooded forest of Mount Inari. The hike to the summit of the mountain and back takes between 2-4 hours, but visitors are free to walk just as far as they wish before turning back. Several restaurants dot the trails, offering locally themed dishes. Check out the views of Kyoto at the Yotsutsuji intersection, approximately halfway up the mountain!

Shiraito Falls

Located in the southwestern foothills of Mount Fuji, the Shiraito Falls are ranked among the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. Fed by the volcano’s spring water and flowing off the edge of a 20-meter-high cliff the streams resemble hanging threads of silk – for which the falls are named. The Falls are best viewed in Summer when the flow is heavy from the winter snow melts from Mount Fuji, and during the autumn season when the leaves change. Several souvenir shops line the trail that leads down to the falls, and there are also great views of Otodome Falls along the way.

Jigokudani Monkey Park

Located in the mountains in Nagano Prefecture, this quiet ravine is home to a unique attraction – hot spring soaking Japanese macaque monkeys. During the winter months take a walk through a peaceful forest trail dotted with educational signage about the illusive creatures and witness them relaxing in the area’s hot springs. While the monkeys visit the park year-round, December to March is the best time to see them bathing. Finish your trip by having your own relaxing onsen experience, at the Nozawa Onsen ski resort!

Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort

There are a multitude of things to do at the Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort, from skiing to soaking your cares away in the hot springs. Hit the slopes, 50 kilometers in all, and then rejuvenate your body and spirit in one of the 13 free public onsen. Visit in January for the Nozawa Fire Festival, a Shinto festival that combines a rite of passage for village men with ancient New Year fire rituals. In the summer, rent mountain bikes, hike and kayak and escape the heat of the lowlands in the cooler mountains.

Dotombori

Osaka’s most popular shopping, entertainment, nightlife and culinary destination, you can’t miss Dotombori when visiting this bustling and busy city. Named for the canal that runs through the middle of the district, you’ll find some of Osaka’s most famous and largest restaurants amongst huge neon and mechanical signs – perfect for epic food crawls. Stroll along the canal at night to really experience the delights of signage, shops and live music performances, then hit the karaoke bars to belt out some tunes of your own!

Peace Park

A serene and deeply moving place in Nagasaki, Peace Park commemorates the atomic bombing of the city on August 9, 1945. A green, spacious park with multiple works of art, it is presided over by the 10-tonne bronze Nagasaki Peace Statue, designed in 1955 by Kitamura Seibō. Located a short walk away are both the Atomic Bomb Museum and the National Peace Memorial Hall.