Attractions of Japan

Matsumoto Castle was built in the early 16th century and is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Japan (many were destroyed following the Meiji Restoration). Known as Crow Castle due to its black colour, it has an imposing six story donjon.

The Nakasendo Way was a trading route between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo) used during the Edo period between 1603 and 1868. Some of the sections and staging posts have been preserved today, in particular the section in the Kiso Valley between the villages of Magome and Tsumago which retain a medieval quality and traditional atmosphere.

The historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are examples of a traditional way of life that adapted to the environment and economic circumstances. The villages are characterised by the Gassho-style houses which have steeply pitched thatched roofs to withstand heavy snowfalls and were built to accommodate mulberry leaves and silkworm beds that formed the basis of the villages' economy.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama

Nestled in the Japanese Alps, Takayama is a charming and atmospheric old town that is home to many old wooden houses and temples designed to withstand the harsh climate and terrain. Known as 'Little Kyoto', the town is ideal for exploring on foot, including the medieval-like streets of Sannomachi with its many wooden built shops, restaurants and sake breweries and the daily market along the banks of the Miyagawa River. Outside the town lies the Hida Folk Village, an outdoor museum of traditional Japanese architecture set in landscaped gardens.

Kyoto was the capital of Japan from its founding in AD 794 until the mid-19th century. As the centre of Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years and the only major city to escape bombing in the Second World War, Kyoto is Japan's cultural and historical gem, home to over 2,000 temples, shrines and gardens. There are countless attractions in the city which could take weeks to explore. Among those is the imposing Nijo castle, built in 1603 as a palace for the Tokugawa shoguns. Kinkaku-ji Temple, known as the Golden Pavilion, is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Kyoto, much of it covered in gold foil. The temple at Ryoan-ji is noted for its beautiful Zen gardens. The 'Path of Philosophy' along the eastern hills incorporates Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion), Nanzen-ji Temple and Kiyamizu-dera (Temple of Clear Water), the latter with a superb location atop a hill. Elsewhere the Gion Geisha district, made famous in the novel 'Memoirs of a Geisha', has numerous teahouses and restaurants.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

Nara was once a great city and the 8th century capital of China. The city included a huge palace complex as well as numerous Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, many of which have survived intact today. The Todai-ji Great Buddha temple was built in 752 and houses a huge bronze Buddha in the largest wooden structure in the world. Other notable buildings are the Kofuku-ji temple and the Kasuga-Taisha shrine.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

Himeji Castle, known as the White Egret's Castle, is one of the most attractive and spectacular medieval castles in Japan, one of the few that has survived from the early Shogun period. Constructed between the 14th and 17th centuries, the complex comprises 83 buildings set on a low hill which makes it visible throughout the city. It is noted for its white plastered walls and ingenious defence and protection systems. The castle featured in the James Bond movie, ‘You Only Live Twice’.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Himeji-jo

On August 6th, 1945, the city of Hiroshima became the site of the first atom bomb to be used in wartime, almost completely destroying the city. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome), located only 150 metres from the hypocentre of the explosion, was one of the few buildings not completely flattened. The skeletal remains of concrete and steel have been preserved in the Peace Memorial Park, as a reminder of the destruction and a hope for the elimination of nuclear weapons. The park contains a memorial with the names of all the victims of the bombing and a flame that will only be extinguished when the last nuclear weapon on earth is destroyed.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)

The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine is located in the south-west of Honshu Island and includes the archaeological remains of large scale mining, smelting and refining sites and associated settlements between the 16th and 20th centuries. Japan accounted for one-third of the world's production of silver in the 17th century which contributed to the economic development of Japan and south-east Asia.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape

The port city of Nagasaki was the main trade point between Japan and Portugal in the 16th century but after Japan entered its period of self-imposed isolation, the small Dutch trading mission in the city's harbour became Japan's only contact with the outside world for almost 200 years. Nagasaki retains many features of the Dutch port, in addition to reconstructions of 18th century buildings. Other attractions in the city include the Glover Gardens and Mount Inasa which provide great views of the city and harbour and Nagasaki's Chinatown, the largest in Japan. Nagasaki also has a memorial Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum commemorating the destruction of August 9th, 1945.

The Ryukyu Islands were a centre of economic and cultural exchange between Japan and Korea, China and southeast Asia between the 12th and 17th centuries. The islands contain the ruins of castles known as gusuku and sacred sites that are testament to this culture.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu

The temples and gardens of Hiraizumi were built in the 11th and 12th centuries when it was the administrative centre of the northern realm of Japan. The five sites, which include the sacred Mount Kinkeisan are based on the cosmology of Pure Land Buddhism, which spread to Japan in the 8th century. This philosophy, unique to Japan, combined Buddhist beliefs and concepts with indigenous Japanese nature worship and Shintoism.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land