20 classic places to visit in Japan
The top 3 according to 311 votes from people: Mount Fuji (Yamanashi/Shizuoka) · Fushimi Inari Taisha (Kyoto) · Itsukushima Shrine (Hiroshima). (Updated Mar 1, 2026.)
The sights that keep topping Jalan and other Japanese travel rankings, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Automatically translated (original in 日本語). See the original
Top 20
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1
Mount Fuji (Yamanashi/Shizuoka)
Japan's highest peak at 3,776 m, a World Cultural Heritage Site since 2013.
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2
Fushimi Inari Taisha (Kyoto)
Head shrine of all Inari shrines, known for its thousands of torii gates.
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3
Itsukushima Shrine (Hiroshima)
World Heritage shrine on Miyajima, famous for its 'floating' torii gate in the sea.
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4
Kiyomizu-dera (Kyoto)
World Heritage temple famous for its wooden stage.
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5
Himeji Castle (Hyogo)
The 'White Heron Castle', an original keep and National Treasure; among Japan's first World Heritage Sites (1993).
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6
Nara Park and Tōdai-ji (Nara)
Park home to about 1,300 deer and Tōdai-ji, temple of the Great Buddha of Nara.
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7
Sensō-ji (Tokyo)
Tokyo's oldest temple, known for the Kaminarimon gate and Nakamise street.
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8
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Okinawa)
Aquarium famous for its giant Kuroshio Sea tank with whale sharks.
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9
Mount Hakodate (Hokkaido)
One of Japan's three great night views.
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10
Biei and Furano (Hokkaido)
Summer lavender fields, rolling hills and Biei's Blue Pond.
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11
Dōgo Onsen (Ehime)
One of Japan's oldest hot springs; the 1894 main building is said to have inspired Spirited Away.
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12
Matsushima (Miyagi)
One of Japan's Three Views, with over 260 pine-clad islets.
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13
Nikkō Tōshō-gū (Tochigi)
Shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu, famous for the three wise monkeys and the Yōmeimon gate.
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14
Shirakawa-gō (Gifu)
World Heritage mountain village of thatched gasshō-zukuri farmhouses.
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15
Yakushima (Kagoshima)
World Natural Heritage island with the thousands-of-years-old Jōmon Sugi cedar.
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16
Dōtonbori (Osaka)
Osaka's neon food district, famous for the Glico running man sign.
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17
Hakone (Kanagawa)
Hot-spring resort known for Lake Ashi's pirate ships and Ōwakudani's black eggs.
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18
Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park (Hiroshima)
World Heritage ruin and museum bearing witness to the 1945 atomic bombing.
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19
Kinkaku-ji (Kyoto)
Kyoto's golden pavilion reflected in its pond.
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20
Takachiho Gorge (Miyazaki)
Basalt-column gorge where you row past the Manai Falls.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 20… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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21
Kenroku-en (Ishikawa)
Kanazawa's feudal garden, one of Japan's three great gardens.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (10)
屋久島の縄文杉トレッキングは往復10時間くらい。体力に自信がある人向け！
このリストを見て先月、白川郷に行きました。合掌造り、本当にきれいでした。
道頓堀が21位…大阪人としては不満です笑
白川郷の冬のライトアップ、一度は見てみたい。
美ら海水族館のジンベエザメ、何時間でも見ていられる🦈
Nara Park deer bowing to you before taking your cracker is the funniest thing 🦌
富士山が1位なのは納得。河口湖からの眺めが最高です。
姫路城は本当に白くて美しい。修理後に行きました。
厳島神社の大鳥居は満潮と干潮で全然違う景色になるのでどちらも見てほしい。
道後温泉は千と千尋のモデルと言われてますね。