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Japan is a country that offers the tourist
exotic beauty and marvelous attractions. Anyone who makes the trip should
have the vacation of a lifetime.
Unfortunately, Japan is one country where the language barrier does make
travel very difficult for the English-speaking visitor. Traveling in
Japan takes more effort than traveling in Europe but we think you will find
that the rewards are more than worth the effort.
Japan has so many outstanding places to visit
during a vacation that it is difficult to choose among them. We know that
your vacation time is both brief and valuable. Our recommendations for the
best places to visit will help you find the right place for your vacation in
Japan.
The team at ThereArePlaces has developed a proprietary method for evaluating
the attractiveness of towns and regions as tourist destinations. We used
this methodology to create our list of the best places to visit in Japan.
We believe that the cities and regions described below are the country’s key
tourist destinations, contain Japan's best attractions and urge you to
visit them during your travels in Japan.
Read our sections on Japan
Travel Information and Japan
Facts to complete your basic preparation
for vacationing in Japan.
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Places in Bold are unusually attractive destinations.
Places in plain text are of significant interest to many travelers.
If you are interested in
Japan, its people, history, economy and geography, visit our section:
Japan
Country Facts
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If you decide to travel in Japan,
read the information you need to know about public safety, visas, crime,
driving, health care, and more in our section: Japan
Travel Information |
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Tokyo
is where most tourist journeys of Japan start. It is hard to understate the shock
value of Tokyo to the western visitor: finally, you will understand the real
meaning of the word "foreign".
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Tokyo's attractions result from a
mix of important cultural, historic, and societal trends. We can
safely say that Tokyo is unlike any other big city in the world. It is
a fabulous place to visit, but you may need a vacation from the city (if not
its prices) after a few days.
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Be sure to examine our Tokyo
Guide if you are considering travel to Tokyo.
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Two cities that make great day
trips from Tokyo are:
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Kyoto
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Kyoto is Japan's second most
popular tourist destination. Its fame results from a several well
preserved
historical sites (over 15 have been classified UNESCO World Heritages sites).
Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's
residence through part of the First and most of the Second Millennia ( it is
called "The Thousand Year Capital") and is the source of many aspects of the
Japanese culture as we know it today. Kyoto,
undamaged in World War II, contains the best-preserved examples of Japan's feudal
history. If you are a temple aficionado, plan to spend several days in
Kyoto. The town has many attractions and is a pleasant place to visit.
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Osaka
Hiroshima
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Nara
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Nagasaki
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Nagasaki was one the principal
ports during Japan's exposure to the western world in the 1600's, giving the
town the most European flavor of any of Japan's cites. Nagasaki was
partly destroyed by an atomic bomb blast at the end of World War II.
Tourist Nagasaki is known for its Peace Park and the Sofuku-ji, an elegant
temple whose architecture has a pronounced Chinese look.
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Fuji Hakone Izu National Park
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Mt. Fuji is Japan's most famous
and most sacred mountain. It is held in reverence by the Japanese and
climbing its trail is a rite of passage.
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Measuring in at slightly over
12,000 feet, Mt. Fuji, a nearly symmetrical strato-volcano, last erupted in
the 18th century
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The Izu peninsula and the Hakone
district are known for great scenery, but mostly for their hot springs and
spas.
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Hakone,
a forested, mountainous, volcanic area is the site of some of Japan's most
popular resorts and spas. The area is less than 100 miles from Tokyo
and is a great place for a break from the city.
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Daisetsuzan NP
If you need information about another travel destination, try Googling our site or the Web
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| Many visitors
to Japan are eager to visit the beautiful shrines and temples found
throughout the country, as these religious centers are some of the
most popular tourist sites in Japan.
Just so you know -
Temples are associated with Buddhism. Buddhist
temples are used for worship and often contain relics of
significant importance to this faith.
Shrines are associated with Shintoism and are religious sites where Kami are found or where
they may be
honored. The Kami are a complicated topic, but it is our
understanding that Kami are believed to be or to represent revered gods,
spirits or natural forces. |
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