Things to see in Japan

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The fascinating land of pink cherry blossoms, sushi and Manga comics, Japan is a cultural explosion of attractions, neon-lit cities and exquisite mountainous landscapes. Thankfully this mystical country retains plenty of its oriental charm resulting in an ‘East meets West’ experience of a lifetime.

Head to the capital of Tokyo for a spot of shopping, sample authentic Japanese sushi and maybe even enjoy a little karaoke. With a myriad of ancient shrines and temples round just about every corner in this dynamic city, it offers some excellent sightseeing where both old and new world co-exist.

Head south to the city of Hiroshima, the country’s most famous tourist attraction, where thousands of visitors make a pilgrimage to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, taking in the museums and lively city that has emerged from its tragic past along the way.

Visit the vast countryside and marvel at the hundreds of volcanoes scattered around it, take a dip in the hot springs and explore the mountainous interior of the islands. Parks are punctuated with cherry blossom trees and mathematically correct Zen gardens never cease to amaze foreigners.

Imperial Palace

Japan’s Imperial Palace is regarded as the heart and soul of Tokyo, standing on a huge site that still bears the remains of Edo Castle, stronghold of the Tokugawa shogunate. The present palace was completed in 1888 and is still home to the... see full details

Edo-Tokyo Museum

Tokyo’s museum dedicated to detailing the city’s history, art, culture and architecture through the medium of visual displays is an impressive, not to be missed attraction. Edo was the old name for Tokyo from its foundation in 1590 when it became the seat of Tokugawa... see full details

Akihabara

Tokyo's electronic wonderland has become world-renowned. In a small area near Chuo-dori Avenue, west of Akihabara Station, are clustered more than 250 electrical appliance and electronics shops, many of them now dealing in computer hardware and software, where expert staff can answer queries and... see full details

Senso-ji Temple

The Asakusa neighbourhood of Tokyo draws visitors to admire the city’s oldest temple, Senso-ji, founded in AD628 with a quaint legend attached to it. The story goes that two young brothers fishing in the nearby river netted a golden image of Kan’non, the Buddhist... see full details

Tokyo National Museum

Close to Ueno Station, enclosed in the Tokyo Metropolitan Imperial Gift Park, the National Museum boasts the largest collection of Japanese art in the world. Exhibits range from antique kimonos and delicate pottery to woodblock prints and archaeological finds. The vast collection is displayed... see full details

Mount Fuji

The dormant volcano of Mount Fuji, 62 miles (100km) southwest of Tokyo, has been revered since ancient times and no exploration of Japan is complete without visiting the mountain that is known fondly as 'Fuji-san' by the locals. Its symmetrical 12,388ft (3,776m) cone towers... see full details

Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima’s original castle, built in the late 16th century, was totally destroyed in the atomic blast but has been reconstructed as a perfect reproduction of the original. The castle houses a museum detailing the city’s history and the historic feudal system. The exhibits include... see full details

Mount Aso

The composite active volcano of Mt Aso lies almost in the centre of Kyushu Island and boasts the world’s largest caldera, stretching 11 miles (18km) from east to west and 15 miles (24km) from north to south. Inside the caldera are five volcanic... see full details

Tokyo Tower

This tower is modelled in the vein of the Eiffel Tower in France, only in true Japanese style, it is more colourful and serves a technological purpose. Tokyo Tower functions chiefly as a television and radio antenna. At 1,091 feet (332m), it is... see full details

Kabuki-za

While there are many places in Japan from which to view Kabuki theatre, the Kabuki-za, as the name implies, is the principal venue for such performances and a major hub for the art form. The building itself is an architectural wonder, using western... see full details

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Things to see in Japan

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Japan Attractions