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Recommended Travel Guide Books

	Lonely Planet Japan is the best and most complete travel guide on Japan for independent low budget travelers.
	Gateway to Japan is out of date (1998), but by far the best travel guide with respect to historical and cultural background information.

Japan Sightseeing Guide

Hokkaido
Sapporo
Otaru
Hakodate
Furano
Abashiri
Noboribetsu
Niseko
Lake Toya
Daisetsuzan
Shiretoko
Rishiri Rebun
Akan

Tohoku
Sendai
Matsushima
Hiraizumi
Kakunodate
Nyuto Onsen
Hirosaki
Lake Towada
Dewa Sanzan
Aizu

Kanto
Tokyo
Yokohama
Kamakura
Nikko
Hakone
Kawagoe
Kusatsu
Ikaho
Narita

Chubu
Nagoya
Inuyama
Mt.Fuji
Fujigoko
Izu Peninsula
Nagano
Matsumoto
Kamikochi
Kiso Valley
Hakuba
Yudanaka
Sado Island
Takayama
Shirakawa-go
Gujo
Gero Onsen
Kanazawa

Kansai
Kyoto
Osaka
Nara
Kobe
Himeji
Kinosaki
Mount Koya
Kumano
Yoshino
Amanohashidate
Hikone
Iga Ueno
Ise Shima

Chugoku
Hiroshima
Miyajima
Okayama
Kurashiki
Matsue
Iwami Ginzan
Iwakuni
Yamaguchi
Hagi

Shikoku
Takamatsu
Kotohira
Naoshima
Matsuyama
Uchiko
Kochi
Tokushima
Naruto

Kyushu
Fukuoka
Dazaifu
Nagasaki
Kumamoto
Mount Aso
Minamata
Beppu
Miyazaki
Takachiho
Kagoshima
Kirishima
Yakushima

Okinawa
Honto
Yaeyama

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Home - Travel

Sightseeing Guide

By Region

best of the best

best of Japan

outstanding (1) - (99) ranking of most visited destinations

Hokkaido
Rishiri and Rebun (88)	Small islands near Hokkaido's northern tip.
Shiretoko (58)	National park on an unspoiled peninsula.
Daisetsuzan (61)	Hokkaido's largest and wildest national park.
Onuma Park (90)	National park 20 kilometers north of Hakodate.
Niseko (62)	Leading snow resort with lots of powder snow.
Furano (39)	Town with beautiful lavender and flower fields.
Noboribetsu (45)	Hokkaido's most famous hot spring resort.
Sapporo (15)	The largest city on the island of Hokkaido.
Lake Shikotsu (90)	Picturesque caldera lake near Sapporo.
Akan National Park (49)	National park with beautiful lakes.
Hakodate (26)	Southernmost city on Hokkaido.
Lake Toya (53)	Site of Mount Usu, an active volcano.
Kushiro Marshlands (73)	Marshlands populated by Japanese cranes.
Otaru (28)	Harbor city near Sapporo with a canal.
Abashiri (54)	Known for its prison and drift ice in winter.
Jozankei Onsen (94)	Popular hot spring resort near Sapporo.
Rusutsu (103)	Attractive ski resort near Niseko.

Tohoku
Nyuto Onsen (104)	Rustic hot spring resort.
Hiraizumi (70)	Tohoku's former cultural and political capital.
Matsushima (38)	Scenic bay dotted by pine clad islets.
Hirosaki (56)	Former castle town in Northern Tohoku.
Kakunodate (68)	City with nicely preserved samurai district.
Lake Towada (79)	Caldera lake famous for autumn colors.
Dewa Sanzan (96)	Three sacred mountains with shrines.
Aizu (75)	Small city known for its samurai history.
Sendai (29)	Largest city in the Tohoku Region.

Kanto
Tokyo (1)	Japan's capital and largest city.
Nikko (12)	Site of Nikko Toshogu, Ieyasu's mausoleum.
Kamakura (7)	Small city full of historic treasures.
Hakone (9)	National park with views of Mount Fuji.
Kusatsu Onsen (59)	One of Japan's best hot spring resorts.
Yokohama (5)	Japan's second largest city.
Kairakuen Garden (84)	Spacious garden famous for plum trees.
Kawagoe (37)	Former castle town known as the Little Edo.
Ikaho Onsen (82)	Hot spring resort famous for its stone stairs.
Narita (17)	Site of Tokyo's international airport.

Chubu
Kanazawa (20)	City rich in culture and history.
Takayama (19)	Preserves one of Japan's nicest old towns.
Yudanaka Onsen (76)	Hot spring resort famous for bathing monkeys.
Shirakawa-go (42)	Mountainous region, known for its farmhouses.
Alpine Route (69)	Spectacular route through the Northern Alps.
Kamikochi (63)	Popular mountain resort in the Japanese Alps.
Kiso Valley (57)	Valley with nicely preserved post towns.
Yuzawa (78)	One of Japan's leading ski resort towns.
Izu Peninsula (33)	Hot springs and natural scenery.
Hakuba (60)	One of Japan's best ski resorts.
Fuji Five Lakes (14)	Resort at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Sado Island (80)	Large island off the coast of Niigata.
Eiheiji Temple (71)	A center of Japanese Zen Buddhism.
Matsumoto (26)	City famous for its beautiful original castle.
Furukawa (73)	Small town 15 minutes north of Takayama.
Nagano (23)	Former olympic city famous for its temple.
Inuyama (42)	Former castle town north of Nagoya.
Echigo Tsumari (97)	Idyllic countryside staging modern art.
Nozawa Onsen (94)	Pleasant hot spring and ski resort.
Nagoya (11)	Japan's third largest economic center.
Gujo-Hachiman (84)	Small town in rural Japan with castle.
Shosenkyo Gorge (97)	Nice gorge famous for autumn colors.
Gero Onsen (66)	Famous hot spring resort south of Takayama.
Karuizawa (46)	Upmarket mountain resort town.

Kansai
Kyoto (2)	For over 1000 years the capital of Japan.
Mount Koya (35)	Atmospheric temple mountain.
Nara (4)	Japan's first permanent capital.
Himeji (8)	Site of Japan's most beautiful feudal castle.
Osaka (3)	Largest city of the Kinki Region.
Ise Shima (30)	Site of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines.
Miho Museum (93)	Unique art museum in the mountains.
Kinosaki (66)	Pleasantly old-fashioned hot spring resort.
Yoshino (65)	Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot.
Amanohashidate (54)	One of Japan's three most scenic views.
Kumano (86)	Pilgrimage destination on the Kii Peninsula.
Kobe (10)	Harbor city, recovered from 1995 earthquake.
Iga Ueno (41)	Former castle town famous for ninja.
Hikone (46)	Castle town at the shores of Lake Biwa.

Chugoku
Miyajima (13)	Island known for its shrine and large torii gate.
Hiroshima (6)	Regional capital with a tragic history.
Matsue (52)	Former castle town near Izumo Taisha.
Kurashiki (34)	City with a picturesque, historic canal area.
Hagi (51)	Castle town with preserved samurai district.
Yamaguchi (48)	Pleasant city at the western end of Honshu.
Okayama (24)	Famous for one of Japan's three best gardens.
Iwami Ginzan (88)	Former silver mine with world heritage status.
Iwakuni (87)	Site of the picturesque Kintai-kyo Bridge.

Shikoku
Matsuyama (36)	Largest city of Shikoku with a beautiful castle.
Kotohira (64)	Site of Shikoku's most popular shrine.
Kochi (50)	Nice city with a southern flair.
Takamatsu (40)	Capital of Kagawa Prefecture.
Uchiko (100)	Countryside town formerly known for its wax.
Naoshima (100)	Small island with a lot of modern art.
Tokushima City (71)	A city best known for its dance festival.
Naruto (100)	City well known for its whirlpools.

Kyushu
Yakushima (81)	Subtropical island with ancient cedar forest.
Nagasaki (18)	Attractive port city with a moved history.
Kirishima (92)	National Park with volcanic mountain range.
Mount Aso (32)	Active volcano with a huge ancient caldera.
Kagoshima (31)	Southernmost of Kyushu's major cities.
Fukuoka (15)	Kyushu's largest and most vibrant city.
Dazaifu (44)	Historic town south of Fukuoka.
Beppu (22)	Japan's capital city of hot springs.
Kumamoto (25)	Modern city most famous for its castle.
Takachiho (104)	Mountain town steeped in mythology.
Udo Shrine (104)	Shrine constructed in a cliff side cave.
Miyazaki (82)	City in southeastern Kyushu.
Minamata (97)	From pollution site to environmental model city.

Okinawa
Yaeyama Islands (76)	Okinawa's southernmost island group.
Okinawa Island (21)	Okinawa's main island.

best of the best

best of Japan

outstanding (1) - (99) ranking of most visited destinations

By Attraction

Temples	A list of Japan's most famous temples.
Shrines	A list of Japan's most famous shrines.
Gardens	A list of Japan's most famous gardens.
Castles	A list of Japan's most famous castles.
Historic districts	Japan's best historic districts and towns.
Open Air Museums	Exhibiting Japan's architectural heritage.
Hot Springs	Hot springs can be found all over Japan.
Cherry Blossoms	During March, April or May in most of Japan.
Autumn Leaves	During October or November in most of Japan.
Winter Sports	Skiing and snowboarding in Japan.
Where to find snow	A list of places with snow during winter.
Festivals	Every municipality has at least one.
Christmas Illuminations	Popular in cities across Japan.

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