#1. Kawagoe.
Near Tokyo, Kawagoe is known as “Little Edo” for it’s rivers and similarity to the town during the Edo period hundreds of years ago. The Kawagoe Festival in October is not to be missed.
#2. Fushimi Inari-Taisha.
This shrine in southern Kyoto is dedicated to the Shinto god of rice, Inari. You can walk through the thousands of gates and trails around the main buildings, and keep your eyes peeled for foxes — they’re Inari’s messengers.
#3. Natadera Temple in winter.
Founded in 717 by a Buddhist monk, this 1300-year-old temple is one of Japan’s most popular sites of worship and looks truly stunning in crisp white snow.
#4. Wisteria Tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Gardens.
At the northernmost tip of Kyushu island you’ll find a dedication to Wisteria flowers which, in late April, is in full purple bloom.
#5. Osaka.
Osaka city is the second-largest city after Tokyo and has incredible architecture, wild nightlife, a castle and beautiful cherry blossom trees everywhere.
#6. Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo.
The cherry blossom season only lasts a few weeks, but the spectacle draws thousands of tourists to lakes like this one to see the world turn pink.
#7. Honshu.
On the east coast of Honshu, a seaside park puts on this gorgeous, colorful show every autumn.
#8. Sagana Bamboo Forest
Arashiyama, Kyoto, is home to a stunning bamboo forest. Visit out-of-season to avoid the tourist crowds and enjoy nature in peace.
#9. Shibazakura Fields
With a magnificent view of Mount Fuji, the fields of Shibazakura add a pop of color when, each summer, 800,00 stalks of purple moss burst into bloom.
#10. Hitachi Seaside Park.
Every spring, 4.5 million “baby blue eyes” flowers make it hard to tell the ground from the sky in Hitachi Seaside Park.
#11. Nakasendo Walk.
A walking route that starts in Kyoto and ends in Edo, Nakasendo means “road through the mountains” and is a great way to explore Japan’s countryside and culture.
#12. Seigantoji Pagoda and Nachi No Taki waterfall.
The three-storey high pagoda sits beside Japan’s tallest waterfall (133 meters high) and is as peaceful and educational as it is incredible.
#13. Bamboo Light Festival in Taketa, Oita.
Taketa means “bamboo and rice field” and it’s the home of a beautiful light festival dedicated to regulating bamboo growth where 20,000 lanterns go on display in late November.
#14. Chureita Pagoda and Mount Fuji.
And finally, if you want a view like no other the 400-step climb to peace memorial Chureito Pagoda offers spectacular views of Mount Fuji and the surrounding area.