Top 10 Places to Visit in Japan for First Timers
Japan is located on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean and is located in the Pacific Rim volcanic belt. The whole country consists of four large islands, including Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Hokkaido, and more than 6,800 small islands, showing an arc-shaped island chain extending from northeast to southwest. The unique geographical distribution has created very different national styles and customs in the north and south of Japan, making it a world-famous tourist attraction. We especially list 10 best places for you to visit during your trip to Japan.
Tokyo
Located in central Japan, Tokyo is a world-famous international city and is the capital of Japan. Since the Tokugawa shogunate era, it has gradually developed into a political and economic hub of Japan. As Japan's economic hub, Tokyo's core area is mainly divided into six districts, known as the "Tuxin Six Districts". It brings together Japan's most modern and abundant urban resources so that all the tourists to Tokyo are amazed by its prosperity and orderly well.
Meiji Shrine
There are many attractions worth visiting, among which the Japanese Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine cannot be missed. The Imperial Palace of Japan was built in 1590 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first general of the Tokugawa shogunate. It is a palace inhabited by Japanese emperors and their family members. This palace shows the elegant and concise design style of traditional Japanese architecture, which is the embodiment of its national introverted personality. Climbing the watchtower of this palace, tourists will see the solemn city walls on one side and modern buildings in Tokyo on the other, which will make tourists get a wonderful feeling that spans ancient and modern times. Meiji Shrine is located in Yoyoki, Shibuya District. This shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Dowager Zhaoxian, which is one of the most important shrines in Japan and attracts thousands of people to visit every year. The lush trees are all over this shrine, where tourists can pace slowly to enjoy the beautiful scenery and feel the forest atmosphere in the middle of the metropolis while breathing.
Kyoto
Kyoto is located in western Japan, which is also known as the "millennium ancient Kyoto is located in western Japan, which is also known as the "millennium ancient capital". Its long history has not only made it one of the important cities of traditional Japanese culture but also one of the representative cities of Japanese aesthetics and art. In addition to historical monuments, it also has bustling commercial streets and large supermarkets. There are all kinds of specialties, shopping, hot springs, baths, and so on so that tourists can enjoy convenient commercial services and comfortable travel experiences in addition to visiting historical sites.
There are many historical buildings, such as shrines, Buddhist pavilions, and temples with Japanese characteristics in Kyoto. Among them, Kiyomizu Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisya are loved by tourists from all over the world.
Kiyomizu Temple
Kiyomizu Temple was built in 1633 and is the oldest temple in Kyoto. The famous suspended stage in the temple, also known as the "Kiyomizu Stage", is supported by 139 columns. Its structure is very exquisite, and it is a treasure cultural relic in Japan. There is also a spring in this temple. This spring is listed as one of the top ten famous springs in Japan, symbolizing longevity, wisdom, and health. The spring water is clean and sweet. It is said that people who drink spring water will be blessed by the gods. Founded in the 8th century, Fushimi Inari Taisya is one of the most incense shrines in Kyoto. One of the most famous landscapes here is the dense scarlet "Senborn Torii" behind the main temple of the shrine. Entering the Senborn Torii, the old faded dark red archway and the bright scarlet archway are densely intertwined, which looks particularly spectacular and charming through the sunlight and gives tourists a visual shock.
Mt.Fuji
Mount Fuji is 3775.63 meters high and has a circumference of 125 kilometers. It is located in the south-central part of Honshu Island, Japan, and it is an active volcano across Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures in Japan. It is also the highest peak in Japan.
Mt. Fuji
Due to the eruption of the crater, this mountain has formed countless caves of different sizes in the foothills, and the walls of the cave are also covered with crystal-like icicles. These different forms of icicles form a rare spectacle. The holy temples, Kusushi Shrine and Asama Shrine, located at the top of the mountain, are also places of interest where tourists often go. In Mount Fuji, sakura is in full bloom in spring; the mountain breeze blows gently in summer; the mountains are covered with red leaves in autumn; and it is snowy in winter. In a word, it has a unique scenery of the four seasons. When the weather is fine, tourists can climb the mountain, and watch the sunrise and the sea of clouds on the top of the mountain to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of Mount Fuji.
Osaka
Osaka is located in central Japan and is a historic city. As early as the Edo era, its trade and cultural exchanges were extremely prosperous, so it was known as the "kitchen in the world". To this day, it still has a large number of economic activities. Shopping places, unique gourmet snacks, ancient historical sites, and beautiful modern landscapes make it an important economic town.
Osaka Castle
The famous Osaka Castle is located in Osaka Castle Park, Osaka Central District, which is one of the three famous cities in Japanese history. Its iconic Osaka Castle Museum was originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Warring States Period, which has a steep wall 20 meters high made of boulders, and the stones are carved with various ancient engravings. In 1931, it was designated as Japan's material and cultural heritage. There is a museum here, which collects many precious historical relics and celebrity relics. These cultural relics silently tell people about the wonderful history of Japan. Today, Osaka Castle has been planned to be an open park, which is a good place for tourists to relax and entertain. The park is full of plants such as cherry trees, ginkgo trees and plum trees. Whenever the flower season comes, the garden is very beautiful.
Nara
Located in central Japan, Nara is a famous historical and international tourist city. It is one of the birthplaces of ancient Japanese culture. Coupled with its respect for religion in ancient times, Nara has many ancient temple shrines and historical sites. Although this city is small, it has a very high cultural value and historical status. The three world-class cultural heritages make it also occupy a place in the world-famous ancient city. It's believed that tourists who come here will definitely get a deep memory.
Nara Park
Nara's Todaiji is one of the seven temples in Nandu. It has a history of more than 1,200 years and is the largest wooden building in the world today. The Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji is 57 meters wide and 50 meters deep. Inside the hall is the largest ancient bronze statue in the world - Vairocana Buddha. Many precious Buddha statues and exquisite Buddha paintings collected in the temple are rare art treasures. Nara Park, where Todaiji is located, is a landmark attraction in Nara City. It is a majestic and tree-lined historical park. One of the most popular tourist attractions in recent years is watching the deer herd. About 1,400 wild Japanese deer live in Kasugataisha Shrine and are carefully cared for as messengers. These docile Japanese deer are very playful and cute, and when they see tourists they will interact cordially with those curious visitors.
Kobe
Kobe is located in western Japan and is also the birthplace of world-renowned Kobe beef. As an early coastal city in Japan to open ports for business, Kobe's economic and cultural exchanges over the years have made Kobe exotic customs that other cities do not have in terms of architecture, food, and culture.
Kobe Beef
Kobe beef is the top ingredient in Japanese cuisine recipes. There are only about 3,000 cattle that can meet the quality requirements of this kind of beef every year. The scarce quantity, fresh and tender meat, and top taste make it the most famous beef in the world, attracting many diners to taste it every year. Located in the northeast of Kobe, Rokko Mountains is a famous plateau leisure resort. There is also a unique museum on this mountain, which collects a variety of ancient eight-tone boxes, automatic instruments, and the world's largest automatic organ. Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden is planted with more than 1,500 kinds of alpine plants. And the whole mountainous area is covered by lush trees. It is said that Rokko Mountains are also an excellent place to enjoy the night view of Kobe Port. When night falls, tourists who climb here can see the beautiful scenery of all the city lights in Kobe.
Himeji
Himeji is located in western Japan, adjacent to the Seto Inland Sea. It is a scenic coastal city. Its excellent sea scenery and fat seafood attract many tourists. In addition to its rich marine resources, it is also a city with a long history. As there is a famous historical city in Japan - Himeji Castle.
Since the Himeji Castle is white and looks like an egret with wings to fly, it is named Egret City. It is the largest representative castle among the existing ancient castles in Japan. Its architectural style is elegant and pure, and it is listed as Japan's national treasure. Himeji Castle was originally used for military defense, so its structure is very strict and exquisite. Well-preserved buildings and peripheral fortifications show the world the exquisite and powerful strategic defense skills of Japanese castle architecture. Because it represents the highest achievement of ancient castles and wooden buildings in Japan, it was listed as one of the world's cultural heritage sites in 1993.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a coastal city located in southwest Japan. It was damaged by the U.S. atomic bomb in World War II and was rebuilt in 1958. Today, Hiroshima has returned to its former prosperity. With clean and tidy streets, starry shops, and many modern high-rise buildings, you can feel the full vitality and vitality of the city when walking on the streets.
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome House
The Japanese government built the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park at the place of the atomic bombing to pray for permanent peace. In addition to many statues and monuments, there is also a Peace Memorial Museum in the park, and the famous Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome House is located here. Peace Memorial Park is a memorial place for future generations to express their memory of the victims and their hopes for the future. It contains the good desire of people all over the world to pursue peace. Anzo Animal Park is one of the most popular parks in Hiroshima. It covers a vast area and raises a variety of rare animals such as giraffes, African elephants, tigers, and so on. Visitors coming to this park can not only interact cordially with animals but also observe the interesting lives of these animals at close range. Today, Hiroshima has taken on a new look, with brisk urban vitality and a vibrant natural environment.
Hakone
Hakone is located in southwest Japan. It is a hot spring hometown and health resort in Japan. It is hard to imagine that this volcanic city splashed with lava is now surrounded by green vegetation. This city is not very large. The streets here are said to have a history of thousands of years. Shops on both sides of the street are full of local characteristics, providing small goods such as local snacks and gifts. The simple streets and lively atmosphere of life make this town particularly humane.
Hot Springs, Onsen
The famous "The Seven Soup" refers to seven local hot springs that are regarded as health resorts. Because the volcano here erupted hundreds of thousands of years ago, the combination of rainfall and magma formed a gushing hot spring, which is rich in a variety of trace elements that are beneficial to the human body. The hot spring here is famous all over the world. This hot spring is located halfway up the mountain, and the pool is covered with white fog all day long. While soaking in the warm and comfortable hot spring water, tourists can enjoy the quiet and simple natural scenery and get the most relaxing physical and mental experience. Except for the ultimate hot spring enjoyment, Hakone's natural scenery should not be missed. Lake Ashi is a volcanic lake with an area of about 7 square kilometers. On a sunny day, tourists who visit the lake by boat can see the famous beautiful scenery of Mount Fuji. When the snowy Mount Fuji is reflected on the clear lake, the scenery is very magnificent.
Kamakura
Kamakura is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is an ancient city with nearly a thousand-year history. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Kamakura has its unique leisure. There are not many streams of people here, and the pace of life is not fast. It has many historical sites and facilities full of modern atmosphere, making it an ancient capital with both natural beauty and cultural atmosphere.
Hasedera Temple is famous for Buddhist carvings. It is dedicated to a Japanese wooden Guanyin statue which has eleven faces, nine meters high, and the largest wooden Buddha statue in Japan. Flowers bloom all year round in Hasedera Temple, among which the June hydrangea is the most famous. In June, the temple will be full of thousands of hydrangea flowers of different colors. Kamakura also has a unique modern railway transportation line - the Enoshima Dentetsu Line. This railway line is 10.27 kilometers long and is famous for its spectacular sea views along the way and its rich theme car design. There is a carriage full of Japanese style in the car, and a bright bay scenery outside the car. Although the journey is not long, it seems to make tourists cross the gap of time and witness the urban style of history and modernity.
Japan has beautiful island scenery and many rich historical and cultural heritage. It not only pays attention to tradition but also strives to develop modernization, which attracts many tourists every year. It's better to act quickly than to be tempted. Contact us now if you are interested in planning a tour of Japan! One of our travel experts will help you to tailor an itinerary based on your needs and budgets within 24hrs.
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