5 Top Tourist Attractions in Japan

There are so many things to do in Japan that there’ll never be a dull moment on your trip. Imagine taking part in the relaxing ritual of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, surrounding yourself in the delicate artistry on display at the Omiya Bonsai Village or witnessing the martial skill of karate at the Okinawa Kaikan. But there’s so much more.

It’s incredibly difficult to narrow down where you should visit, but here’s a short-list for a holiday to Japan that you’ll never forget:

The residence and grounds of the emperor of Japan, Naruhito, are only accessible as part free tours organised by the Imperial Household. They are definitely worth joining, though, to see part of the inner compound and the 280-acre Kōkyo-gaien national gardens. The grounds contain the picturesque East Gardens as well as the moats and stone walls of the original Edo-jō which was once the largest fortress in the world.

Kyoto is arguably a more popular tourist destination than Tokyo as it contains more original Japanese heritage. Kyoto suffered less from the devastation of the bombing raids during WWII so it has retained many of its ancient historical features.

The Fushimi Inari Shrine is an atmospheric complex of sites of spiritual significance, dedicated to the Shinto god of rice. The shrine is famed for its tunnels of torii gates and their orange-red colour replicates the fur of the god’s messengers, foxes. The torii tunnels wind into the forest of the sacred mountain Inari and while a full hike is about three hours, you can refresh yourself at the many restaurants dotted along the trail.

Could anything be more delightful than witnessing the gentle interplay of Monkey’s having a day at the spa? Now a conservation area, the Snow Monkey Park can be found in the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park. Here the monkeys bathe in the hot pools just as they observed humans doing many years ago. Without the aggression associate with feeding (it’s forbidden) they coexist with their human visitors naturally and calmly. If you come in winter, you’ll snap a picture of bathing in the snow!

The name Hiroshima very rarely needs foregrounding. The history of the city is, sadly, synonymous with man’s inhumanity to man. However, the peace memorial park is a destination that both commemorates atomic bomb victims and seeks to educate its visitors on the tragedy of the recent past.

What visit to Japan would be complete without a trip to Mount Fuji? Not only has the mountain’s image become synonymous with Japanese art and its form sacred to its culture, it is, without doubt, one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the world. Unlike many mountains, the fact that the land surrounding mount Fuji is relatively flat makes it an imposing part of the landscape, and yet its graceful shape makes it undeniably beautiful. If it's summer and you’re feeling fit, you can even climb it, too.