🌊 Naruto whirlpools — the Uzunomichi walkway over the roaring strait🌉 Iya Valley vine bridge — the kazurabashi vine bridge across the gorge⛩️ Itsukushima floating torii — the shrine gate rising from the tide♨️ Dogo Onsen — Japan's oldest bathhouse, the Spirited Away inspiration🌉 Akashi Kaikyo Bridge — the world's longest suspension bridge🏯 Matsuyama Castle — one of 12 original keeps above the city🛶 Oboke Gorge — the pleasure-boat ride through sheer Shikoku cliffs🌊 Katsurahama Beach — the crescent beach with Sakamoto Ryoma's statue🏯 Kochi Castle — one of Japan's 12 original keeps, above the city🌉 Shimanto River chinrinkyo — sunken bridges over "Japan's last clear stream"🚲 Shimanami Kaido — the Kurushima-Kaikyō bridge chain island-hopping🏙️ Onomichi — temple-walk town viewed over the Inland Sea bridges🕊️ Atomic Bomb Dome — Hiroshima's preserved ruin beside the Peace Memorial Park
02 · Tottori → Shimane → Yamaguchi
🏔️ Tottori Sand Dunes — Japan's largest dunes, wind-sculpted by the Sea of Japan⛩️ Izumo Taisha main hall — one of Japan's oldest shrines, home of the marriage gods🌉 Kintaikyo Bridge — the five-arched wooden bridge of Iwakuni⛩️ Motonosumi Inari — 123 red torii over the Sea of Japan🌊 Uradome Coast — emerald inlets of the San'in Kaigan Geopark🌿 Adachi Museum garden — Japan's #1 garden, viewed like a living scroll⛩️ Hinomisaki Shrine — cliff-top shrine at Izumo's western tip for sunset🏯 Matsue Castle — one of 12 original castles on Lake Shinji's shore🕳️ Akiyoshido Cave — Japan's longest limestone cavern, lit walkways🌉 Tsunoshima Bridge — the white bridge over turquoise sea to an island lighthouse
03 · Shikoku grand tour
🌿 Kōraku-en garden — one of Japan's three great gardens🌿 Ritsurin Garden — a strolling garden framed by Mt. Shiun⛩️ Kotohira-gū (Konpira-san) — 785 stone steps to the sea-gods' shrine♨️ Dogo Onsen — Japan's oldest bathhouse, the Spirited Away inspiration🌉 Shimanto River chinrinkyo — sunken bridges over "Japan's last clear stream"🏙️ Kurashiki Bikan canal — white-walled Edo storehouses along the willow canal🏯 Okayama Castle (Crow Castle) — the black keep beside Kōraku-en🌉 Iya Valley vine bridge — the kazurabashi vine bridge over the gorge🛶 Oboke Gorge — the boat ride through steep Shikoku cliffs🌊 Katsurahama Beach — the crescent beach with Sakamoto Ryoma's statue🏯 Kochi Castle — one of Japan's 12 original keeps🏯 Matsuyama Castle — the original castle crowning the city hill🏯 Imabari Castle — one of Japan's 12 original castles🏔️ Mt. Ishizuchi — Shikoku's highest peak, chain-scaled in autumn
04 · Kii Peninsula (Mie + Wakayama)
⛩️ Ise Jingu Naiku — Japan's holiest shrine, rebuilt every 20 years🏞️ Nachi Falls + Seiganto-ji pagoda — Japan's tallest waterfall beside a five-storey pagoda🛕 Koyasan Okunoin cemetery — mossy lanterns along Kobo Daishi's sacred path🌊 Engetsuto island — the moon-shaped rock offshore at Shirahama⛩️ Kumano Hongu Taisha — the great Kumano shrine above the Oyunohara torii🌊 Ago Bay pearl rafts — Mikimoto's floating pearl farms in Ise-Shima⛩️ Oyunohara — the great torii rising from the riverbed🛕 Kongobu-ji — Koyasan's head temple hall🛕 Danjo Garan — Koyasan's sacred temple precinct🏖️ Shirahama Beach — Wakayama's white-sand crescent🏯 Wakayama Castle — one of Japan's 12 original castles
05 · Kyushu volcanic loop
🏔️ Mt. Aso caldera (Kusasenri) — volcanic grassland panorama on the caldera rim♨️ Kurokawa Onsen — riverside open-air baths in a forested onsen town♨️ Beppu Umi Jigoku — cobalt-blue "sea hell" hot-spring pool🏞️ Takachiho Gorge / Manai Falls — sheer basalt cliffs and a 17 m waterfall🏞️ Yabakei Gorge — Hitome Hakkei's valley of autumn colour🏯 Kumamoto Castle — one of Japan's twelve original castles🔴 Beppu Chinoike Jigoku — the blood-red "hell" hot spring🌫️ Yufuin Kinrin Lake — misty spring-fed lake at the foot of Mt. Yufu⛩️ Amano Iwato Shrine — the cave where the sun goddess hid🌿 Suizenji Garden — tea garden with a miniature Mt. Fuji
06 · Toyama + Fukui
🏞️ Kurobe Gorge trolley — the scenic rail ride through Japan's deepest gorge🏔️ Gokayama Ainokura village — steep thatched gassho roofs in a mountain valley🛕 Eiheiji Temple — Soto Zen's head temple in the cedar forest🌊 Tojinbo Cliffs — columnar basalt towers on the Echizen coast🏯 Maruoka Castle — the oldest surviving keep in Japan🏛️ Fukui Dinosaur Museum — one of the world's three great dinosaur museums🏛️ Toyama Glass Art Museum — Kengo Kuma's sculptural glass tower🌉 Hakogase Bridge — red-iron bridge over Lake Kuzuryu's autumn foliage🏯 Ono Castle — the "castle in the clouds" above the Echizen town🏘️ Ichijodani Asakura ruins — the restored samurai town of the Asakura clan🌿 Yokokan Garden — Fukui's serene strolling garden with teahouse
07 · Saga → Nagasaki → Kumamoto → Oita
🏙️ Mt. Inasa night view — top-3 city panorama over Nagasaki's harbour🌊 Gunkanjima — abandoned "Battleship Island" viewed from the boat🌿 Glover Garden — hillside Western-style mansions and gardens🌉 Kokonoe Yume Bridge — Japan's highest pedestrian suspension bridge🏛️ Arita Porcelain Park — porcelain museum in a baroque-style park🏔️ Nita Pass (Unzen) — ridge road with Mt. Unzen and autumn foliage🏛️ Dejima — the fan-shaped Dutch trading post island⛪ Oura Cathedral — Japan's oldest standing church, a hidden-Christian site🕊️ Nagasaki Peace Park — the towering Statue of Peace🏔️ Mt. Aso caldera (Kusasenri) — volcanic grassland on the caldera rim♨️ Kurokawa Onsen — riverside open-air baths in a forested onsen town🌫️ Yufuin Kinrin Lake — misty spring-fed lake at the foot of Mt. Yufu
08 · Kagoshima + Miyazaki
🏔️ Sakurajima volcano — active stratovolcano steaming across the bay🌊 Aoshima Devil's Washboard — wave-cut rock ribs with a seaside torii⛩️ Udo Jingu — sea-cave shrine with lucky stones and a cliff-top torii♨️ Ibusuki sand baths — buried in volcanically heated black sand🏔️ Kirishima Onami-ike — crater lake on a volcanic plateau🌊 Cape Hyuga — sea cliffs and lighthouse with the Nippon-maru sail ship🌿 Sengan-en garden — the Satsuma villa with Sakurajima views⛩️ Kirishima Jingu — shrine in the misty volcanic highlands🏔️ Ebino Kogen — the high volcanic plateau for autumn hikes🛶 Takachiho Gorge rowboats — drifting the basalt canyon beneath Manai Falls⛩️ Amano Iwato Shrine — the cave where the sun goddess hid🏘️ Chiran samurai street — hedge-lined samurai residences
09 · Fuji + Japanese Alps
🏔️ Mt. Fuji + Lake Kawaguchi — the postcard Fuji-over-the-lake view from the north shore⛩️ Chureito Pagoda — the five-story pagoda with Fuji behind, autumn-lit🌉 Kamikochi Kappa Bridge — the iconic river crossing amid larches and peaks🏯 Matsumoto Castle — the "Crow Castle", set off by autumn colour🏞️ Oshino Hakkai — clear spring ponds with Fuji views, autumn🌊 Tsukechi Gorge — river gorge below the Kiso Mountains in autumn colour🍁 Momiji Corridor — Kawaguchiko's lakeside maple tunnel, aflame in autumn🌲 Aokigahara — the lava-based "sea of trees" around the Fugaku Wind Cave🏔️ Lake Saiko — the quiet western Fuji Five Lake with Fuji rising beyond♨️ Gero Onsen — one of Japan's three great hot springs on the Hida River🏯 Nagoya Castle — the gold-shachihoko keep of Owari⛩️ Atsuta Shrine — one of Japan's most important Shinto shrines🛕 Osu Kannon — Nagoya's lively temple-and-arcade quarter
10 · Tohoku loop
⛩️ Lake Tazawa Gozanoishi torii — red torii rising from Japan's deepest lake🏞️ Oirase Stream — maple-tunneled river trail and waterfall🏯 Hirosaki Castle — small keep in one of Japan's top cherry parks🏛️ Sannai-Maruyama site — 5,500-year-old Jomon settlement ruins🏛️ Kakunodate samurai district — preserved samurai residences and willow lanes🏔️ Hakkoda Ropeway — high-elevation autumn foliage from the cable car🏔️ Hachimantai — the highland moors and ponds in October gold🌊 Dakigaeri Gorge — a narrow emerald valley crossed by suspension bridges🏔️ Lake Towada — the caldera lake at the head of the Oirase Stream🏮 Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse — Aomori's illuminated nebuta float hall🍁 Nakano Momiji-yama — Hirosaki's most famous maple-viewing hillside
🌿 Hitachi Seaside Park kochia — hills of scarlet kochia at peak mid-October⛩️ Nikko Toshogu Yomeimon Gate — the ornate "gate of the sun", UNESCO🏔️ Goshikinuma — five volcanic-coloured ponds in Bandai's foothills🏯 Tsurugajo Castle — Aizu-Wakamatsu's red-tiled keep in autumn🏙️ Ouchi-juku — thatched-roof post town🏞️ Fukuroda Falls — one of Japan's three great falls🌊 Kegon Falls — Chuzenji's dramatic 97 m cascade♨️ Kusatsu Yubatake — the steaming hot-spring field at the heart of Kusatsu🏔️ Bandai-Azuma Skyline — the high volcanic ridge road in autumn🔄 Sazaedo — the unique double-helix hexagonal hall of Aizu-Wakamatsu🚡 Naeba Dragondola — one of Japan's longest gondola rides over autumn slopes
12 · Niigata → Toyama
🏞️ Kurobe Gorge trolley — open-sided train through the gorge's autumn slopes🌊 Oyashirazu cliffs — sea cliffs where road and rail hug the Japan Sea🌊 Itoigawa Jade Coast — the gemstone-strewn shore of the Fossa Magna🌿 Toyama Kansui Park — canal-side lawns with a Tateyama view over the bay⛩️ Yahiko Shrine — Niigata's grand mountain shrine🌿 Saito Villa — Niigata's grand seaside garden villa🪨 Fossa Magna Museum — Itoigawa's gateway to the great earth-fissure geology🏞️ Takanami-no-ike — the UNESCO-geopark pond beneath Mount Myojosan🏢 Toyama Glass Art Museum — Kengo Kuma's glittering wood-and-glass KIRARI🏯 Toyama Castle — riverside castle park
13 · Hokkaido
🏙️ Hakodate night view — the city's famous twinkling bay panorama🏯 Goryokaku star fort — Japan's first Western-style star-shaped fort🏙️ Otaru Canal — gas-lamp canal lined with old warehouses🏞️ Sounkyo Gorge — steep river valley with waterfall trails🏔️ Lake Onuma — island-dotted lake beneath Mt. Komagatake🏔️ Daisetsuzan / Asahidake — Hokkaido's highest peak above a mirror pond🌊 Ryusei & Ginga Falls — Sounkyo's twin "Shooting Star" and "Milky Way" falls♨️ Jozankei Onsen — the riverside spa town in the Toyohira Valley🌊 Hoheikyo Dam — the arch dam's gorge and autumn slopes🌳 Odori Park — the green spine of Sapporo's city centre
14 · Toyama → Fukui → Shiga
🏔️ Gokayama Ainokura village — UNESCO gassho-zukuri thatched-roof hamlet🌊 Tojinbo Cliffs — dramatic columnar-basalt sea cliffs🏯 Hikone Castle — the original-keep castle rising over Lake Biwa🛕 Enryaku-ji (Mt. Hiei) — Tendai Buddhism's mountaintop headquarters, UNESCO🛕 Eiheiji — Soto Zen head temple🏙️ Ichijodani Asakura Ruins — samurai city ruins in Fukui🚋 Kurobe Gorge trolley — the open-sided train in October colour🪷 Genkyu-en — Hikone Castle's strolling pond garden🛕 Kongorin-ji — one of the Koto Sanzan triad in the Kohoku hills🛶 Omihachiman — the merchant canal town of the Lake Biwa plain🛕 Ishiyama-dera — the lakeside temple where the Tale of Genji began🛕 Miidera — Onjo-ji's hilltop halls above Otsu
15 · Shizuoka / Izu Peninsula
🌊 Jogasaki Coast — black-lava cliff walk above a crashing sea🏔️ Mt. Omuro — the cinder cone climbed by chairlift, with Fuji on the horizon🌊 Miho no Matsubara — the pine-grove shore with Fuji across Suruga Bay🏞️ Shiraito Falls — Fuji's silk-thread falls, a World Heritage site🛕 Shuzenji — momiji-lit temple grounds🏞️ Kawazu Nanadaru Falls — seven-tiered autumn falls⛩️ Shimoda — the temple town where Commodore Perry's fleet landed🛣️ Izu Skyline — the ridge-hugging toll road with Fuji views🌄 Nihondaira — Shizuoka's cliff-top viewpoint over Suruga Bay🌉 Sumata Gorge — the Dream Suspension Bridge over autumn gorge⛩️ Fujinomiya Hongu Sengen Taisha — Fuji's head shrine at the mountain's foot
16 · Boso Peninsula
🛕 Mt. Nokogiri Daibutsu — Japan's largest pre-modern stone Buddha🌊 Byobugaura cliffs — the "Dover of the East" white sea cliffs🌊 Inubosaki Lighthouse — Choshi's beacon at the Pacific's first-sunrise point🛕 Naritasan temple — the great hall of Naritasan Shinsho-ji🏞️ Kameyama Lake — island-dotted lake🌿 Oyama Senmaida — 375 rice terraces to the sea🌊 Kujukuri coast — Japan's longest straight sandy beach🛶 Sawara — the "Little Edo" canal town with merchants' storehouses⛩️ Katori Shrine — one of the region's most ancient Shinto shrines🌊 Awamata Falls — a wide milky cascade in the Yoro Gorge
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