Japan is a unique combination where the modern and new-age tech coexists with centuries-old traditions and sites. So you have a plethora of landmarks in Japan, from modern towers to ancient shrines and temples. We managed to visit many of the famous landmarks in Japan on our 2-week trip to this country.
While the neon-lit cities of Tokyo and Osaka dazzle, the peaceful vibes of smaller towns and rural areas rejuvenate. This post covers 20 Japan landmarks, some ancient and historical while others are modern.
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Top 10 Famous Landmarks in Japan
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Our Kyoto trip was filled with UNESCO heritage sites, and Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of the major landmarks of Japan. It is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. This shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital’s move to Kyoto in 794.
Thousands of vermillion torii gates have made Fushimi Inari an Instagram sensation, so expect crowds during the day, especially at the base. For a peaceful environment, it is best to visit the shrine during early morning hours, say around 6 am. Visiting popular attractions early morning to beat the crowds is amongst important Japan travel tips. Shrines, unlike temples are open 24X7, so we visited this famous Kyoto attraction in the evening post 5 PM when both the crowds and the heat start to dissipate.
At the very back of the shrine’s main grounds is the entrance to the hiking trail. The hike to the mountain summit takes about 2-3 hours for a round trip, but you can turn back whenever you want.
Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site and the highest peak in Japan at 3776 meters. This famous landmark is a sacred symbol of Japan, renowned for its symmetrical cone.It is one of the popular day trips from Tokyo. For the best viewing experience, visit in the early morning as the mountain is often obscured by clouds later in the day.
The popular area to view Mt. Fuji is Kawaguchiko. Upon reaching here, you can stroll along Honcho Street for that iconic “Fuji framed by town” photo. Next, climb the 400 steps to Chureito Pagoda. It’s a bit of a workout, but the view at the top of Mount Fuji rising behind the five-tier pagoda is pure magic. The pagoda and shrine are particularly stunning during spring and autumn.
If you visit Hakone, you can visit Lake Ashi to get views of Mount Fuji on a clear day. Board a famous Hakone Pirate Ship at Moto-Hakone, Hakone-machi, or Togendai ports to view the mountain reflecting on the open water. Your best chance of a clear view is in the early morning (before 11:30 AM). Thermal clouds and fog typically obscure the peak later in the day.
Senso-ji Temple
Asakusa district in Japan is known for its historic temples and traditional streets. We spent a rainy day during our Tokyo trip exploring Sensō-ji complex and Nakamise street. Early mornings is the best time to visit this Japan Tokyo landmark as it gets crowded during the day.
Sensō-ji is an ancient Buddhist temple in Asakusa, and also Tokyo’s oldest-established temple with a history going back 1,400 years. It is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Structures in the temple complex include the main hall, a five-story pagoda and large gates.
The shopping street leading to Sensoji Temple, known as Nakamise-dori, is lined with many shops selling snacks and souvenirs. This street is actually on temple property and so it starts and ends with a temple gate. At the southern end is the outer gate of Kaminarimon, and at the northern end is the inner gate of Hozomon. Sensoji Temple has no strict dress code, but while packing for Japan, do remember to pack modest clothes for visiting temples and shrines.
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower, also known by its official name Japan Radio Tower is a communications and observation tower in Minato, completed in 1958. At 332.9 meters, it was the tallest tower in Japan until the construction of Tokyo Skytree in 2012. The iconic Tokyo landmark is a lattice tower inspired by the Eiffel Tower. However, the design has been refined to be lighter and sturdier to suit Japan’s earthquake-prone environment.
Tokyo Tower is more than a tourist spot; it is the grandfather of the Tokyo skyline. You can enjoy panoramic views of the city from the Top Deck at 250 meters or the Main Deck at 150 meters. We did not climb either of the decks, but did enjoy stunning views of this orange-and-white tower from the Tokyo Edition hotel, one of the luxury hotels in Tokyo. I loved the view at dusk from the hotel bar area to catch the city transition from day to twilight.
Osaka Castle
The castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks and a must-see on any Osaka trip itinerary . It played a major role in the unification of Japan during the 16th century of the Azuchi–Momoyama period. Hideyoshi intended the Osaka Castle to become the center of a new, unified Japan under Toyotomi rule. However, this castle was destroyed a few years after Hideyoshi’s death. Osaka Castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in the 1620s, but its main castle tower was struck by lightening in 1665, burnt down, and was not rebuilt during the feudal ages.
During the war it miraculously survived the city-wide air raids. Major repair works gave the castle new glamor in 1997. The castle tower is now entirely modern on the inside, it houses an informative museum about the castle’s history. The castle tower is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls and moats. The entire Osaka Castle Park covers about 2 sq. km with lots of green space, sport facilities, a multi-purpose arena (Osakajo Hall) and a shrine dedicated to Hideyoshi.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Hiroshima can be visited as a day trip from Osaka, or an overnight trip. It is a must on any first-time visit to Japan, if you are into war history. Hiroshima Park is a vast space for remembering the devastating event. Even if you are travelling with kids and want to skip the Hiroshima Museum, do take them around the park and its different sculptures, exhibits built to promote world peace.
Walking to the park from the main road and after crossing under the museum building, you will first come upon the Cenotaph for A-Bomb victims. This concrete saddle-shaped monument in the center of the park is designed to symbolize a shelter for all the souls who perished in the atomic bombing.
From Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park across the Motoyasu river, you will see a skeletal structure. This is named the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. This skeleton was once the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, a prominent building within Nakajima. This building stood near the hypocenter of the atomic blast. While the building was severely damaged, the city council decided to let it remain as is. As a powerful symbol of the bombing and to make people think of the cost of war and the importance of peace.
Itsukushima Shrine
Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima, best known for its floating torii. Formally named Itsukushima, the island is more popularly known as Miyajima, literally ‘shrine island’ in Japanese. This shrine and its floating torii is one of Japan’s most popular tourist attractions. In 1996, Itsukushima Shrine was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
The shrine and its torii gate are unique for being built over water, seemingly floating in the sea during high tide. The shrine consists of multiple buildings, including a prayer hall, main hall and noh theater stage, which are connected by boardwalks and supported by pillars above the sea.
During our Hiroshima and Miyajima day trip, we took a ferry from Hiroshima to spend half a day at Miyajima Island. It was low tide that afternoon and the floating torii looked majestic in the wet sand. But its beauty shines in high tide when it appears to be floating in the water. After sunset, the shrine and the torii gate are illuminated daily until 23:00, providing a perfect backdrop for ryokan guests to enjoy an evening walk.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, or Sagano Bamboo Forest is a natural bamboo forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Located in the village of Sagano on the west side of the city, the path through the Arashiyama bamboo grove is short yet immersive. It consists mostly of mōsō bamboo and has several pathways for visitors. You can wander through the main paths without any charge.
Though this grove is one of the famous Kyoto landmarks, and it is quite pretty, I didn’t get what the fuss is about. There are other uncrowded bamboo forests to visit in Kyoto. We paired the visit to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove with Tenryu-ji Temple located nearby. Tenryu-ji or the Temple of the Heavenly Dragon is the most prominent temple in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district and an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nara Park and Toda-ji Temple
Nara is a small but hugely historic city lying around 40 km to the direct south of Kyoto and 35 km to the east of Osaka. It is one of the most popular day trips from Osaka or Kyoto. Nara is famous for Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, plus the iconic Nara Park where wild deer roam freely. As Nara used to be Japan’s first permanent capital before it changed to Kyoto in 794, there is a lot of history here.
Start by exploring the park, where you can encounter friendly, free-roaming deer. You can buy special crackers to feed them. Funnily enough, the deer in Nara deer park have learned to bow to visitors.
Todai-ji Temple is one of Nara’s most famous and most visited sights. This historic temple houses a massive bronze Buddha statue and is one of the largest wooden structures in the world.
Dotonbari
The famous landmarks in Japan are not all ancient or religious sites. Dōtonbori or Dōtombori is a district in Osaka. This is Osaka’s principal tourist and nightlife areas, the area runs along the Dōtonbori canal from Dōtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba district of the city. The colorful area is an explosion of neon lights, mouth watering street food, retro vibes, clubs, stores, and bars.
The history of this area goes back to 1612 when a merchant by the name of Yasui Doton invested all of his capital in an ambitious local development project. Unfortunately, Doton’s project was stalled due to war, but the area began to flourish as an entertainment district after theater companies and playhouses began to move here. Also, restaurants and teahouses supplied food and drinks to theater goers. Today Dotonbori’s theater culture is very much in decline. But it is famous as a gastronomic wonderland crowded with restaurants, street side food stalls, and bars.
Dotonbori is also famous for its eye-catching signage and billboards with a giant pufferfish, an octopus, a clown, the Kani Douraku crab all vying for your attention. Of all these signs however, the most famous is that of the Glico running man above Ebisubashi Bridge.
Other Japan Landmarks
Shibuya Crossing and Hachiko statue
You can wonder how can a pedestrian crossing be a Japan landmark! But Shibuya Crossing is famous as the world’s busiest pedestrian intersection. Also called the Shibuya Scramble, where up to 3,000 people cross simultaneously from all directions. Located outside Shibuya Station, it is an iconic symbol of modern Tokyo, featuring neon, massive video screens.
It’s hypnotic, especially when witnessed from above. We enjoyed watching the crossing from the open-air Shibuya Sky. For a close-up look, you can choose to view it from MAGNET by Shibuya 109. There are free views as well, like the Shibuya Mark City Walkway. This pedestrian bridge offers a free, elevated side-view. Or the Shibuya Tsutaya located on the 3rd floor, directly overlooks the iconic Starbucks spot for a classic view.
Between Shibuya Station and the intersection, sits a statue dedicated to Hachiko, who lived from 1925 to 1938. Every single morning, this friendly Akita would walk to the station with his master, a professor at Tokyo University. And every afternoon, he’d be there waiting for his master’s return. Even after the sudden death of the professor one day, the dog waited for him every single afternoon until his own death 9 years later.
Kinkaku-ji
Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavillion is one of the famous Japan landmarks worth visiting on a visit to Kyoto. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is now a Zen temple, a two-storeyed building covered in gold leaf. It was originally built as a retirement villa of the Shogun Yoshimitsu. The original building has burned down numerous times throughout its history, and the present structure was rebuilt in 1955.
We combined a visit to Arashiyama bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji temple with the last stop at Kinkaku-ji. Expect to find crowds as you first come upon Kinkakuji. The reflection in the serene large pond of the golden building is worth the hype. The crowds do disperse as you walk along the side of the pond, allowing more opportunities to take photos. After viewing Kinkakuji from across the pond, you will pass by the head priest’s former living quarters (hojo), the extensive gardens and a lovely teahouse.
Himeji Castle
Also known as Himeji-jo and the White Heron Castle, Himeji Castle is the biggest medieval Samurai castle of Japan. With its brilliant white walls and elegant bird-like structure, it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Himeji is a huge fortress complex that covers almost 600 acres, and has dozens of defensive gates, moats, and walls from the medieval period in Japan. The main keep itself is 6 stories tall.
The castle’s construction was started in the 1300s, and then it was expanded even more in the 1600s. It has survived natural disasters, WW II bombing, and all the wear and tear in the past. There was major restoration works carried out in 2015, which helped return the castle facade to a brilliant white.
We did a half-day trip from Osaka to visit Himeji. The views as we kept going higher up inside the castle were marvellous in all directions. The stairs connecting each floor of the main keep are quite tall and may give some trouble to people with mobility issues.
Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace is the main residence of the emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda district of Tokyo. It contains the Imperial Residence and the Imperial Palace Complex, where His Majesty the Emperor undertakes official duties. Various ceremonies and public activities are held there too.
The Imperial Palace marks the symbolic heart of Japan and is one of Tokyo’s foremost landmarks. You can walk around the outside of the Imperial Palace and enjoy views of the lovely moats, bridges and walls of the Palace. You can also enter the Imperial Palace East Garden, which is a fine escape from the crowds and concrete of the city. And, if you’re interested in WWII history, do not miss the controversial Yasukuni-jinja Shrine, where several Class A war criminals are enshrined, and the adjoining Yushukan Museum, which presents the nationalist view of Japan’s wartime history.
Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree, a.k.a Tokyo Sky Tree, is a broadcasting and observation tower, located in Sumida, Tokyo. It has been the tallest tower in Japan since opening in 2012. At 634 meters tall, it is a Japan landmark to rival landmarks across the world. Towering above the capital’s skyline, Tokyo Skytree gives incredible, panoramic views of Tokyo. On a clear day, it’s one of the few spots you can see Mt. Fuji from Tokyo.
There are two decks open to the public. The Tembo Deck (350m) and Tembo Galleria (450m) offer jaw-dropping views from morning to night. Adrenaline junkies should try walking on the Tembo Deck’s glass floor or the glass-walled Tembo Galleria to experience the illusion of levitating in mid-air. You could buy tickets on the day, or you can buy them online before you go.
Meiji Shrine
Meiji Shrine, one of Japan’s landmarks, is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. Nestled within the lush greenery of Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine stands as a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. The shrine does not contain the emperor’s grave, which is located at Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto.
If you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of Shibuya / Harajuku for a while, go for a peaceful walk through the forest to Meiji Jingu shrine. Exploring the main grounds of Meiji Shrine is free of charge. This large, peaceful oasis in the middle of Tokyo is a Shinto Shrine. What you will see are its dense surrounding forest, massive wooden torii gates, and a calm inner garden. It is open every day from sunrise to sunset. However, there is a small fee to visit specialized areas like the Inner Garden and the Meiji Jingu Museum.
Chureito Pagoda
Chureito Pagoda is a 5-storied pagoda on the mountainside overlooking Fujiyoshida City and Mount Fuji off in the distance. The pagoda was built as a peace memorial in 1963 nearly 400 steps up the mountain from the shrine’s main buildings. With its unbeatable views of iconic Mt. Fuji, its beautiful and distinctive traditional architecture, and its incredible location, Chureito Pagoda is a Japanese landmark worth visiting.
Although the pagoda is located 400 steps away up the mountain, it is officially part of the Arakura Sengen Shrine. The shrine was founded on Mt. Arakura in 705 and is marked by a large red Torii gate and more than 300 cherry trees which bloom each spring. As a peace memorial, Chureito Pagoda’s official name is the Fujiyoshida Cenotaph Monument. It was built to commemorate the people of Fujiyoshida who died in wars from the mid-1800s to World War II.
Umeda Sky Building
The Umeda Sky Building is a two-tower mixed-use skyscraper in Osaka. It is one of Osaka’s iconic architectural landmarks, famous for its futuristic design.
The building’s design is a marvel. Riding the transparent elevators and the glass-enclosed escalator through the open space between the 2 towers is a thrilling experience. The 360° open-air deck on the 40th floor offers incredible panoramic views of the city. It is widely considered one of the best spots in the city to watch the sunset. At night, the rooftop deck glows with a special luminescent floor that feels like walking through the stars.
To skip the lines and secure your preferred sunset time slot, book your admission ahead of time through platforms like Klook.
Kumomoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Kumamoto Prefecture. Kumamoto Castle is famous for its massive scale, black exterior, and complex defense, remaining a top tourist attraction in Kyushu despite 2016 earthquake damage.
Built in 1607 by Kiyomasa Kato, it was considered impregnable, featuring steep stone walls known as ‘Musha-gaeshi’. However, the castle grounds suffered widespread damage in the earthquakes of April 2016, and repair works will continue for many years. The castle keep and most other buildings are modern reconstructions, but the reconstructions are mostly of a high quality.
The castle keep consists of 2 towers, a main tower with 6 stories and a smaller tower with 4 stories. Nice views of the castle grounds and surrounding city can be enjoyed from the top floor of the main tower.
Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto. It belongs to the Kita-Hosso sect of Japanese Buddhism and its honzon is a hibutsu statue of Jūichimen Kannon.
Situated atop a small mountain on the east side of Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera temple offers a commanding view of the city. I was pleasantly surprised by the lush greenery in and around the complex. The main hall of the temple has an extended wooden stage, perched 13 m above the hillside. The stage affords nice views of the numerous cherry and maples trees below, as well as of the city in the distance.
The complex has other structures to visit – Jishu shrine, Otowa waterfall, Okunion Hall,and the Koyasu Pagoda. It took me more than an hour to take the circular route within the temple complex at an easy pace. It may take some more time later in the day. Reach early in the morning for lesser crowds.
Planning a trip to Japan? Check out –
Start with 2 Weeks in Japan and Essential Japan Travel Tips
City Itineraries: Tokyo 5 day Itinerary, 3 Days in Kyoto Itinerary, Osaka 3 Day Itinerary
Day Trips: Day trips from Osaka, Tokyo day trips, Ultimate Guide to Tokyo DisneySea
And finally, Japan’s 4 Luxury Hotels
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