Best Places to Visit in Japan, Region by Region, by Train

The best places to visit in Japan for a first trip lie in a band from Tokyo to Hiroshima: Tokyo itself, Mount Fuji and Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and the island shrine at Miyajima. A second trip goes further, into the Japan Alps around Takayama and Shirakawa-go, across the Inland Sea to Shikoku, south to Kyushu and Okinawa, or north to Tohoku and Hokkaido. Almost every place below is a short walk, tram or bus ride from a railway station.

This guide picks 33 places across nine areas of Japan (the usual eight regions, with Okinawa counted on its own). For each one it gives the station or stop to get off at and, for most, the ride time from the nearest big city. The times, hours and fees come from the places' own websites, the railways and bus companies, and the official tourism offices, and were checked on 5 November 2026.

Key Takeaways

• The classic first trip runs Tokyo, Hakone or Fuji, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, then Hiroshima and Miyajima.
• On a second trip, head for the Japan Alps (Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa), Shikoku, Kyushu, Tohoku or Hokkaido.
• Nearly every place here is a walk, tram ride or bus ride from a station. Shirakawa-go has no railway, Miyajima and Naoshima need a short ferry, and Okinawa's north is reached by bus.
• A few need planning ahead: the Chichu Art Museum on Naoshima sells timed tickets only, Shirakawa-go's buses often need a reservation, and Shuri Castle's rebuilt main hall is due to open on 23 November 2026.

How the places were chosen

These are places as famous in Japan as they are abroad. About half are World Heritage Sites or National Treasures, or appear on one of Japan's own lists, such as the Three Views of Japan. The rest, like Fushimi Inari and Dōtonbori, are simply where most visitors go. All of them can be reached without a car, though Okinawa's north and a few island trips lean on buses and ferries rather than trains.

The list runs region by region, from Tokyo outwards. Each region ends with a link to its places in Michiplan's catalogue, where every place shows its nearest stations and bus stops on a map. The table below links to our ready-made itineraries.

Tokyo and around (Kanto)

Tokyo could fill a week on its own, and three classic day trips start from its stations. Kamakura is about an hour away, Nikko about two hours, and Hakone's volcanic valley a little further.

• Sensō-ji, Asakusa. Asakusa's great temple to Kannon traces its founding to 628 (Sensō-ji). It is five minutes on foot from Asakusa Station on the Ginza, Toei Asakusa, Tobu and Tsukuba Express lines (Sensō-ji, access). The main hall opens at 6:00 (6:30 from October to March) and closes at 17:00 (Sensō-ji).
• Meiji Jingū, Harajuku. A shrine to the Meiji Emperor, founded in 1920 and set in 70 hectares of forest grown from more than 100,000 trees given by people across Japan (Meiji Jingū; JNTO). Get off at Harajuku on the JR Yamanote Line or Meiji-jingumae on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines (JNTO). The shrine's gates are close to both stations, but the main buildings are at least another 10 minutes' walk through the forest (Meiji Jingū, access). Entry is free, from sunrise to sunset (Meiji Jingū, visit).
• Nikkō Tōshō-gū. The lavish shrine to the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, on the World Heritage list since 1999 (Tōshō-gū). The Tobu limited express Kegon takes about 1 h 50 min from Asakusa to Tobu-Nikko, and the World Heritage sightseeing bus takes about 8 minutes on to the shrine (Tōshō-gū, access; Tobu Bus). Adult entry is ¥1,600; the shrine closes at 17:00 from April to October and at 16:00 from November to March (Tōshō-gū, fees).
• Ōwakudani, Hakone. A steaming volcanic valley left by an eruption about 3,000 years ago, where eggs boiled black in the springs are sold as a charm for long life (JNTO). The Odakyu Romancecar reaches Hakone-Yumoto from Shinjuku in about 80 minutes, for a ¥1,200 seat charge on top of the fare (Odakyu). Three more rides take you up the mountain: the Hakone Tozan Railway (about 35 minutes to Chokoku-no-Mori, the stop for the Hakone Open-Air Museum, then one more stop to Gora), the cable car from Gora to Sounzan (about 10 minutes), then the Hakone Ropeway to Ōwakudani (Odakyu, Hakone Freepass). Allowing for the changes, the trip from Shinjuku takes two and a half hours or more. The valley is a 3-minute walk from the ropeway station and is open from 9:00 to 16:20 (to 16:00 in December and January) (Odakyu, Ōwakudani).
• The Great Buddha, Kamakura. An 11.3-metre bronze Buddha, begun in 1252 and now a National Treasure, sitting in the open air at Kōtoku-in (Kōtoku-in). Kamakura is about an hour from Tokyo Station on the JR Yokosuka Line (Kamakura City Tourism Association); from Kamakura Station, the Enoden runs three stops to Hase, and the temple is seven minutes' walk from Hase Station. Entry costs ¥300 (Kōtoku-in).

More temples, museums and day trips are in Kanto on the map.

Mount Fuji and the Japan Alps (Chubu)

Central Japan is where the country rises highest: Fuji to the south, the Northern Alps in the middle, and the snowy Sea of Japan coast beyond. It also holds some of the best-kept old towns, which is why Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa are so often joined into one trip.

• Chureito Pagoda, Fujiyoshida. The red pagoda on the hillside with Fuji behind it, in Arakurayama Sengen Park above the town, is the view at the top of this page. The nearest station, Shimoyoshida on the Fujikyu Railway, is about two hours from Shinjuku by train, changing from the JR Chuo Line at Otsuki; from Shimoyoshida, follow the signs and you reach the pagoda in about 30 minutes (Fujikyu Railway).
• Takayama's old town. Sanmachi's streets of dark wooden merchant houses are a 12-minute walk from JR Takayama Station. The limited express Hida takes about 2 h 20 min from Nagoya to Takayama (Hida Takayama tourism; Sanmachi).
• Shirakawa-go. More than a hundred steep-roofed gasshō-zukuri farmhouses in a mountain valley, a World Heritage Site since 1995 (Shirakawa-go Tourist Association). There is no railway: Nohi Bus runs 16 round trips a day from Takayama, about 50 minutes each way, some of them reserved-seat only; the fare is ¥2,800, rising to ¥2,900 on 1 December 2026 (Nohi Bus). Buses from Kanazawa take about 1 h 15 min, and most must be booked (Visit Kanazawa).
• Matsumoto Castle. A black-walled keep built in the 1590s and a National Treasure since 1936 (Matsumoto Castle). It is about 15 minutes' walk from Matsumoto Station, which the limited express Azusa reaches from Shinjuku in about two and a half hours (Matsumoto Castle, access; Visit Matsumoto). Adults pay ¥1,300, or ¥1,200 with an e-ticket (Matsumoto Castle, information).
• Kenroku-en, Kanazawa. One of Japan's Three Great Gardens, and free to enter in the early morning. Hours, fees and the loop bus from the station are in our guide to the Three Great Gardens.

Kanazawa's castle, the Fuji Five Lakes and the Alpine valleys are all in Chubu on the map.

Kyoto, Nara and Osaka (Kansai)

If you see only one region, make it this one. Kyoto has the temples, Nara is half an hour away, and Osaka is the place to eat in the evening. The three are close enough that you can sleep in one and see the others on day trips.

• Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto. The shrine of the endless orange torii gates climbing Mount Inari (JNTO). It is right next to Inari Station on the JR Nara Line, two stops and five minutes from Kyoto Station (Fushimi Inari Taisha). The shrine never closes, and an article on Kyoto's official tourism site suggests going at dawn, when the gates are quiet (Kyoto City Tourism Association).
• Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto. The temple with the great wooden stage, high on Kyoto's eastern hills. Take city bus 206 or 100 from Kyoto Station to Gojozaka, then walk uphill for 10 minutes. It opens at 6:00 (Kiyomizu-dera).
• Arashiyama's bamboo grove, Kyoto. Saga-Arashiyama is about 11 minutes from Kyoto Station by JR, and the grove is a 10-minute walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station (Kyoto City Tourism Association; JNTO). It is a public path, free and always open, so you can beat the crowds by going at dawn.
• Tōdai-ji and Nara Park. The Great Buddha Hall, with the deer of Nara Park on the way. Kintetsu trains reach Kintetsu-Nara in about 34 minutes from both Kyoto (limited express) and Osaka-Namba (express), by Visit Nara's figures (Visit Nara); the temple is about 20 minutes' walk from Kintetsu-Nara (Tōdai-ji). The hall costs ¥800 and is open 8:00 to 17:00 from November to March, 7:30 to 17:30 from April to October (Tōdai-ji, hours).
• Himeji Castle. The white castle on the hill, a World Heritage Site and a National Treasure, about 30 minutes from Shin-Osaka by Sanyo Shinkansen and 20 minutes' walk from Himeji Station. It is open 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00, and adults from outside Himeji pay ¥2,500 (Himeji Castle).
• Dōtonbori, Osaka. The canal-side strip of neon signs and street food, a few minutes north of Namba Station on the Midosuji Line (JNTO). Come after dark.
• Amanohashidate. A pine-covered sandbar across a bay on the Sea of Japan, one of the Three Views of Japan. The limited express Hashidate runs from Kyoto; the town's tourism office puts the trip at about two hours and JNTO at about two and a half (Amanohashidate Tourism Association; JNTO). It makes a long day trip, or a night by the sea.

Kansai has more than any one trip can hold; see it all in Kansai on the map, or see the Three Views of Japan together on one map.

Hiroshima and Miyajima (Chugoku)

Hiroshima is the western end of most first trips, and it rewards two days: one for the city's peace memorials, one for the island of Miyajima across the bay.

• Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima. The shrine built over the water, with its great torii standing in the sea at high tide. JR takes about 30 minutes from Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi, and the ferry about 10 more (Itsukushima Shrine, access). The shrine costs ¥300 and opens at 6:30; it closes at 18:00 from March to mid-October and earlier for the rest of the year (at 17:00 in December) (Itsukushima Shrine, admission).
• Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome. The ruined dome, a World Heritage Site since 1996, and the park beside it are Hiroshima's memorial to the atomic bombing of 1945 (City of Hiroshima). Trams 2 and 6 run from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae in about 20 minutes (City of Hiroshima). The Peace Memorial Museum in the park costs ¥200 for adults (Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum).

Okayama Castle, Kurashiki's old canal quarter and Matsue Castle are in Chugoku on the map.

Shikoku and the Inland Sea

Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands, lies across the Inland Sea from Okayama and Hiroshima. Its best-known sights sit near its coasts, and the art island of Naoshima is a short ferry from Uno, near Okayama.

• Naoshima and the Chichu Art Museum. An island of modern art in the Seto Inland Sea. Take the JR Uno Line from Okayama to Uno (about 50 minutes), then the 20-minute ferry to Miyanoura on Naoshima (Benesse Art Site Naoshima). The Chichu Art Museum needs a ticket booked for a date and time; when the online tickets sell out there are none at the door. It is closed on Mondays, and adults pay ¥2,500 to ¥3,000 depending on the day and how they buy (Chichu Art Museum).
• Ritsurin Garden, Takamatsu. A stroll garden of ponds and pruned pines under a wooded hill, three minutes' walk from JR Ritsurin-koen-kitaguchi Station or ten from Kotoden's Ritsurin-koen. Adults pay ¥500 (Kagawa Prefecture).
• Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama. A hot spring said to be the oldest in Japan. The wooden Honkan bathhouse, an Important Cultural Property since 1994, reopened in full in July 2024 after five and a half years of repair work, and a bath in its Kami-no-Yu costs ¥700 (Dogo Onsen). The Iyotetsu tram takes about 25 minutes from JR Matsuyama Station (Dogo Onsen, access).

For the rest of the island, including the hilltop shrine of Kotohira-gū, open Shikoku on the map.

Kyushu

Kyushu, the large island in the southwest, is warm, volcanic and full of hot springs. Fukuoka is the gateway, with the Shinkansen running south to Kumamoto and fast trains west to Nagasaki.

• Dazaifu Tenmangū. The shrine to Sugawara no Michizane, worshipped as the deity of learning, culture and the arts (Dazaifu Tenmangū). From Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin), take the Nishitetsu line and change at Futsukaichi for Dazaifu; the trip takes around 30 minutes, and the shrine is a 5-minute walk from the station (Dazaifu Tenmangū, access).
• Kumamoto Castle. One of Japan's great castles. Its keep has reopened, but repairs to the walls and grounds after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes are planned to run until fiscal 2052 (Kumamoto City, Japanese). The Shinkansen takes about 33 minutes from Hakata to Kumamoto; from Kumamoto Station the city tram runs to Kumamoto Castle/City Hall for a flat ¥200, and the walk up through Sakura-no-Baba Josaien takes about 15 minutes (Kumamoto City). The castle is open 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00, and adults pay ¥800 (Kumamoto Castle).
• Glover Garden, Nagasaki. A hillside of 19th-century Western-style houses above Nagasaki harbour, home to the former Glover House, part of the World Heritage "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution" (Glover Garden). JR takes about 1 h 20 min from Hakata to Nagasaki (Nagasaki Prefecture). Adult entry rose to ¥1,300 on 1 April 2026; the garden is open from 8:00 to 18:00 (Glover Garden, guide).
• The hells of Beppu. Seven steaming hot springs, the jigoku or hells, made for looking at rather than bathing in. The limited express Sonic takes about two hours from Hakata to Beppu (JNTO, Beppu). From Beppu Station, buses 2, 5, 24 and 41 take about 20 minutes to the Kannawa or Umi-Jigoku-mae stops, and a ticket for all seven hells costs ¥2,000 (JNTO, Beppu hells).

Mount Aso, Sakurajima and the rest of the island are in Kyushu on the map.

Okinawa

Okinawa's islands were once the Ryukyu Kingdom, and they still feel distinct from the rest of Japan: coral seas, their own cooking, and a royal castle unlike any on the mainland. Naha has a monorail, the Yui Rail; beyond the city you go by bus or car.

• Shuri Castle, Naha. The Ryukyu kings' palace and one of five Okinawan castle sites on the World Heritage list (JNTO). Fire destroyed its main hall, the Seiden, in October 2019; the rebuilt hall is due to open to the public on 23 November 2026 (JNTO newsletter, August 2026). The Shureimon gate is about 15 minutes' walk from Shuri Station on the Yui Rail (Shurijo Castle Park).
• Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. The aquarium in the north of the main island, built around the enormous Kuroshio Sea tank, where whale sharks and manta rays swim (Churaumi Aquarium). The express bus from Naha Airport takes about three hours, and the aquarium is about 10 minutes' walk from the Kinen Koen Mae stop. It is open from 8:30 to 18:30 most of the year, last entry 17:30 (Churaumi Aquarium, access; hours).

The beaches and outer islands are in Okinawa on the map.

Tohoku

The north of Honshu is often left off a first trip, yet it has one of the Three Views, a World Heritage temple and a castle famous for its cherry blossom. The Tohoku Shinkansen runs up its spine from Tokyo.

• Matsushima. A bay scattered with about 260 small pine-covered islands, one of the Three Views of Japan (Matsushima Tourism Association). The JR Senseki Line takes about 40 minutes from Sendai, and Matsushima-Kaigan Station is about 6 minutes' walk from the sightseeing boats (Matsushima).
• Chūson-ji, Hiraizumi. A mountainside temple best known for the Konjikidō, a small hall covered in gold leaf. Completed in 1124, it is the only 12th-century building at the temple to survive in its original form (Chūson-ji). The temple is part of the Hiraizumi World Heritage Site, registered in 2011. The Tohoku Shinkansen takes about 2 h 10 min from Tokyo to Ichinoseki, and the local train 8 minutes on to Hiraizumi (Hiraizumi Tourism Association); the temple entrance is about 20 minutes' walk from the station (Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization). The Konjikidō and the museum cost ¥1,000, and from 4 November to the end of February the temple closes at 16:30 (Chūson-ji).
• Hirosaki Castle. The only castle keep in Tohoku that survives from the Edo period, ringed by about 2,600 cherry trees. Its cherry blossom festival is held each year from late April into early May (JNTO). The castle is about 15 minutes from Hirosaki Station by bus, or 30 on foot (Hirosaki Park).

Lake Towada, Mount Bandai and the rest of the region are in Tohoku on the map.

Hokkaido

Japan's northern island is big, open and snowy in winter. Sapporo is the hub; Hakodate in the south is the first big city you reach from Tokyo, by Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.

• Otaru Canal. A canal lined with stone warehouses, about 10 minutes' walk from JR Otaru Station (Hokkaido Tourism Organization). The rapid train from Sapporo takes 30 to 35 minutes (JNTO). Go in the evening, when the lamps come on.
• Mount Hakodate. People ride up for the night view: the city spread across a narrow neck of land between two bays. From Hakodate Station the tram takes 5 minutes to Jujigai, and the ropeway station is a steep 10-minute walk (Hakodate City). The ropeway ride is three minutes and costs ¥1,800 return; it closes for a few weeks each autumn for inspection, so check the dates before you go (Mount Hakodate Ropeway; fares). Hakodate is about 3 h 30 min from Sapporo by the limited express Hokuto, and about 4 h 30 min from Tokyo by Shinkansen with a change at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (Hakodate City, access).

Biei's Blue Pond and the steaming valley at Noboribetsu are in Hokkaido on the map.

Turning the list into a trip

Thirty-three places is more than one trip, and the hard part is not choosing them but fitting them together. Himeji Castle lets its last visitors in at 16:00; Itsukushima Shrine closes earlier in winter; the Chichu Art Museum is shut on Mondays and needs a booking; Shirakawa-go's buses run a set number of times a day. A list cannot tell you which day each place fits.

That is what Michiplan's place catalogue and planner are for. Every place in this guide is in the catalogue, with its opening hours and fee where they are known, and the stations and bus stops nearest to it on a map. Pick the ones you want, set your dates, and Michiplan plans the days: which place on which day, in what order, and the trains and buses between them. It checks each place's hours against the date, so a museum shut on Mondays moves to another day. Outside the big cities, many rides are timed from the operators' published timetables. In Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka most rides are estimated, because many city lines publish no open timetable; the planner marks each of those as an estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I go in Japan for the first time?

Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, with Nara as a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka. Add Hakone or the Fuji Five Lakes if you want mountains, and Hiroshima and Miyajima if you have more than a week. Most of them are on or near the Shinkansen line from Tokyo to Hiroshima.

What are the most beautiful places in Japan?

Beauty is personal, but the places Japan itself has long singled out are a good start: the Three Views of Japan (Matsushima, Amanohashidate and Miyajima), Mount Fuji, and the World Heritage village of Shirakawa-go. Kyoto in autumn and Hirosaki in cherry blossom season are hard to beat.

Can you reach all of these places by train?

Nearly all. Shirakawa-go has no railway, so the last leg is a bus from Takayama or Kanazawa. Naoshima and Miyajima need a short ferry. Okinawa's only railway is the Yui Rail monorail in and around Naha, so the Churaumi Aquarium is a long bus ride from the city.

How many places can I see in a day?

There is no fixed number; it depends on the places. In Kyoto you can often fit three or four sights into a day when they sit close together; a day trip to Nikko or Amanohashidate is mostly one area and a long ride each way. The planner shows which places fit on which day, and lists the ones that do not fit, each with the reason.

About this guide

This guide was researched by the Michiplan team from the places' own websites, railway and bus operators, JNTO and local tourism offices, and every fact was checked against those pages on 5 November 2026. Hours, fees and timetables change, especially at New Year and when timetables are revised each spring, so check before you go. We list where Michiplan's data comes from on our sources page, and you can tell us about a mistake at hello@michiplan.com. See also our privacy policy and terms.

Sources

Places and transport, all retrieved 2026-11-05:

• Kanto: Sensō-ji, about and access (Japanese); Meiji Jingū, about, visit and access; Nikkō Tōshō-gū, access and fees (Japanese); Tobu Bus, World Heritage sightseeing bus (Japanese); Odakyu, Romancecar, Hakone Freepass and Ōwakudani; Kōtoku-in, home and about; Kamakura City Tourism Association, access
• Chubu: Fujikyu Railway, Chureito Pagoda; Hida Takayama tourism, Sanmachi and access; Nohi Bus, Shirakawa-go; Shirakawa-go Tourist Association, home; Visit Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go by bus; Matsumoto Castle, access, information and National Treasure; Visit Matsumoto, from Tokyo
• Kansai: Fushimi Inari Taisha, access; Kyoto City Tourism Association, early-morning tips and Saga-Arashiyama; Kiyomizu-dera, location; Tōdai-ji, access and hours; Visit Nara, travel to Nara; Himeji Castle, official site; Amanohashidate Tourism Association, access
• Chugoku and Shikoku: Itsukushima Shrine, access and admission; City of Hiroshima, Atomic Bomb Dome on the World Heritage list and access to the Peace Memorial Park; Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, information; Benesse Art Site Naoshima, access and Chichu Art Museum; Kagawa Prefecture, Ritsurin Garden; Dogo Onsen, Honkan and access
• Kyushu and Okinawa: Dazaifu Tenmangū, home and access; Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Castle and restoration plan (Japanese); Kumamoto Castle, information; Glover Garden, home and guide (Japanese); Nagasaki Prefecture, access; Shurijo Castle Park, access (Japanese); Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, home, access and hours
• Hokkaido and Tohoku: Hokkaido Tourism Organization, Otaru Canal; Hakodate City, Mount Hakodate and access; Mount Hakodate Ropeway, home and fares; Matsushima Tourism Association, home; Matsushima, access; Chūson-ji, official site; Hiraizumi Tourism Association, access; Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization, Chūson-ji; Hirosaki Park, English
• JNTO (japan.travel): Meiji Jingū, Ōwakudani, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama bamboo grove, Dōtonbori, Amanohashidate, Beppu hells, Beppu, Shuri Castle, Otaru Canal, Hirosaki Park, and the August 2026 newsletter on Shuri Castle

Photos, via Wikimedia Commons:

• Cover: Chureito Pagoda and Mount Fuji, by Supanut Arunoprayote, CC BY 4.0, source, cropped.
• Sensō-ji, by Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
• Shirakawa-go, by 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source.
• Fushimi Inari Taisha, by Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
• Itsukushima Shrine, by Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, source.
• Dogo Onsen, by Japanexperterna.se, CC BY-SA 3.0, source.
• Kumamoto Castle, by 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source.
• Churaumi Aquarium, by Bernie Ongewe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
• Otaru Canal, by Tan Wei Liang Byorn, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
• Matsushima, by lumoplank, CC0, source.