Japan is exciting, adventurous and above all overwhelming. A tour requires a lot of planning and there is so much to see. In addition, the country is known for high prices and that can sometimes deter travelers. Luckily I’m here! I’ll just take you on a tour around Japan and with the backpack we’ll also keep it cheap. We traveled on a budget of thirty euros per person per day! More blogs and details can be found on the page of Japan, but now I’ll take you through the ultimate top 10 of Japan.
10. Bamboo Grove, Kyoto
In Kyoto, Japan’s most traditional city, you will find Japan’s most beautiful traditional sights. Not only are Japan’s most sacred temples located here, but one of the most photogenic places in the country can also be found here. Bamboo Grove is a gigantic bamboo forest where you can easily get lost. You can easily reach this special forest from the city by metro and it challenges you to take the most bizarre photos.
9. Dotonbori, Osaka
Eating in Japan can be done in many different ways. You can do it as extensively as you want, but you can also do it in five minutes using the assembly line. The latter in particular has really been elevated to a sport in Japan. The highlight of culinary Japan can be found in the Dotonbori district of Osaka. You just look at the facades. In addition, you can really get everything you can think of.
8. Takayama
At number 8 of this top 10 of Japan: The best preserved traditional center can be found in Takayama, a town between Kyoto and Tokyo. The houses where the geishas used to roam can still be admired in perfect condition. Japanese couples love to have their wedding photos taken here and I can see why. This is the Japanese atmosphere you know from cartoons, video games and ninja comic books!
7. The deer of Nara
Near the city of Osaka is the holy town of Nara. Not only are the temples sacred, but the animals that walk around them are also considered so. This attraction should definitely not be missed during your tour through Japan! These cute deer are everywhere and as you know, the Japanese love one thing more than sushi: cute animals.
6. Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo
You have to get up in the middle of the night and hope that you can get a ticket. The tuna auction in Tokyo is one of the absolute highlights of a visit to Japan. Importers from all over the world come here to pay a few tons for the largest, most beautiful and most expensive fish in the world. Sometimes they sell for half a million each!
5. Himeji Castle, Himeji
The most sublime castle in Japan is in Himeji. Due to its graceful white roofs, the castle is also called the white heron. It is one of the traditional three castles of Japan. At the bottom of the page you can see his black counterpart in Matsumoto. It falls just outside the top 10, but is definitely worth a visit!
4. A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima
In Hiroshima, everything is still dominated by the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city by the Allies during the Second World War. The most important monument is this building, which is located exactly at the epicenter of the impact and, strangely enough, has almost completely survived. Literally nothing was left standing within a radius of 1.3 kilometers. That history in particular can be felt and breathed, making a visit to Hiroshima a must to understand Japan.
3. Fushimi Inari, Kyoto
This temple can’t be skipped in the top 10 of Japan. The most special temple in Kyoto is known for the thousands of orange Torii, sacred gates that provide access to the temple. You can walk here endlessly until you actually don’t meet anyone anymore. That is also the golden tip if you want to take a nice photo without other tourists in it. Just be careful not to get lost! Insanely beautiful.
2. Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo
The busiest pedestrian intersection in the entire world! That is one of the sights in Tokyo. Of course, you must have walked across it yourself at least once, but a place with a view of the intersection is also a must. You can enjoy this spectacle for hours in the adjacent restaurants. I recommend you go to the second floor of Starbucks, completely free. Is it red? Then no Japanese will worry about crossing secretly. Is it green? Then chaos is a fact…
1. Miyajima island, Hiroshima
This sacred island just below Hiroshima used to be only accessible to the absolute elite. The entrance gate under which one had to sail still stands in the water. The most beautiful mystical temples are still clustered together on the island and you will be amazed by the sights.
Extra tips for your tour around Japan
Finally, some honorable mentions for places just outside the top 10 of Japan! You can add these sights to your tour of Japan, if you still have time left. Click on the links to read more!
– Nagano (and the snow monkeys)
– Matsumoto
– Capsule hotels in Tokyo
– De Golden Temple of Kyoto
– Kanazawa in the Japanse Alpen
