This page provides a list of the main things to see in Japan. "++"
identifies the top attractions.
- Hiraizumi (northern Honshu): +Chuson-ji (1005), Konjikido (1124)
- Akita prefecture (northern Honshu): ++Oyu stone circle of 2,000 BC (46m diameter)
- Akita prefecture (northern Honshu): +Yoshinogari ruins of Yayoi Period (300 BC-300 AD)
- Matsushima Bay (northern Honshu): +Zuigan-ji (828)
- Nikko: +Toshugu shrine with Karamon gate, Daiyuinbyo
- Tokyo: Mori Building (2008), Imperial Palace, Shinjuku Central, Ginza, Jimbocho, ++Museum
- Tokyo 19th c architecture: Tatsuno Kingo's Bank of Japan (1896) and Tokyo Station (1914), Sone Tatsuzo's Memorial Library (1912) of Keio University and Nihon Yusen building (1923), Okada Shinichiro's Kabukiza (1924)
- Tokyo modern architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel (1922), Christopher Alexander's Eishin School (1985), Kunio Mayekawa's Metropolitan Festival Hall (1961), Hiroshi Hara's Yamato International Building (1987), Tange's Fuji Broadcasting Center (1990), Tange's Sogetsu Art Center (1957), Tange's Small Olympic Arena (1964), Tange's National Gymnasium, Tokyo (1964), Tange's Cathedral, Tokyo (1965), Tange's City Hall, Tokyo (1991), Kazuo Shinohara 's Tokyo Institute of Technology's Centennial Hall (1987), Rafael Vinoly's International Forum (1996), Kisho Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower (1972),
Toyo Ito's Tod's Omotesando Building (2004) at 5-1-15 Jingumae,
Christian Dior Omotesando Building (2003) at 5-9-11 Jingumae,
Tange's Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building One (1991) at 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku,
Ricardo Bofill's Christian Dior Ginza Building (2004) at 5-6-1 Ginza,
Phillippe Starck's Asahi Super Dry Hall (1989) at 1-23-1 Azumabashi,
Roppongi Hills Mori Tower (2003) at 6-10-1 Roppongi,
Ricardo Bofill's Tokyo Ginza Shiseido Building (2001) at 8-8-3 Ginza,
Cesar Pelli's Atago Green Hills Mori Tower (2001) at 2-5-1 Atago,
Shiodome City Center (2003) at 1-5-2 Higashi-Shimbashi,
- Narita: Shibayama Kofun and Haniwa Museum
- Mt Fuji (3100 m, 5 hrs hike)
- Kamakura (near Tokyo): +Tsurugaoka-Hachiman shrine, relic hall of Engaku-ji (1285), Sho-kannon statue at the Toke-ji, colossal bronze Buddha of Kotokuin-ji (1253), Hase Kannon
- Yokohama: Hugh Stubbins' Landmark Tower (1993)
- Hiroshima: Kenzo Tange's Peace Pavilion (1956)
- Matsumoto: +Castle (1504)
- Nagano: +Zenko-ji with Korean statues of 552
- ++Nara:
- +Horyu-ji (7th c) with Nandaimon southern gate, Chumon middle gate with two guardians (red and black) of 711, Kondo (oldest surviving wooden building in the world), bronze +Shaka Trinity of 623 in the Kondo, bronze statue of Yakushi-nyorai of 607 in the Kondo, five-storey pagoda (with +four tableaux of 711 depicting scenes from the life of Buddha), four guardian kings in the altar of the kondo (7th c), Daikodo of 990 (with gilded wooden Yakushi Trinity and four celestial guardians), +Tamamushi Shrine of 650 in the treasure house (top is oldest representation of a temple and the painting is one of the oldest paintings) and +Yumedomo Kannon, photographs of the Kondo frescoes of 710 in the Great Treasury/Diahozoden, Kyozo, Shoro bell tower, Shoryon (1121), Todaimon east gate, Yume-dono, Dempodo,
- +Yakushi-ji with east pagoda of 8th c, +bronze trinity of 726 and Kichijouten painting of 8th c and Yasumigaoka Hachiman shinto shrine with three sculptures of 9th c (earliest extant shinto sculptures) and Toindo (1285)
- +Todai-ji of 752 with south gate of 1199, four guardians/shitenno and their pedestals (73#) in the Kaidanin, Fukukenjaku Kannon(74#) and shukongojin (733) and Bonten and Taishakuten and celestial guardians in the +Hokke-do/Sangatsudo, wooden yakushi statue of 9th c, priest Ruben of 11th c, bodhisattva of the Songatsu-do (8th c AD), priest Jugen of the Shunjo-bo (13th c), +Shosoin with thousands of paintings, Daibutsuden with reconstruction of colossal Buddha of 1692, +Nandaimon south gate on 18 columns with two guardian statues, guardian Kongorikishi by Unkei of 1203, Hachiman by Kaikei (1201), +Daibutsuden
- +Toshodai-ji with Kondo of 759 (with Buddha altar of 8th c and +sculpture of blind priest Ganjin and thousand-arm Buddha of 8th c, statue of Yakushi-Nyorai, wooden statues of Bonten and Taishakuten) and Kodo and Mieido with statue of Ganjin
- Muro-ji (9th c) with Kondo, wooden seated sakyamuni of 9th c, 12 wooden generals of 13th c, five-storied pagoda;
- Horin-ji with Kokuzo Bosatsu of 7th Century
- Kanaya Miraku-dani (sakyamuni and miraku stone reliefs of 9th c)
- Joruri-ji (Kichijo-ten statue of 12th c, best example of Fujiwara style, nine images of Amida, wooden Bato Kwannon of 1241),
- +Kofuku-ji of 720 with sculptures of the saikondo of 734, statues by Unkei of 1208, Kongorikishi statue by Jokei of 1288, lamp bearer by Koben of 1215, octogonal hall Hokuendo of 1210, Fukukenjaku Kannon by Kokei (1189), +Hokuendo, +Tokondo, +pagoda of 730,
- Asuka, near Nara: +Asukadera temple (+gilt bronze statue of Asuka Daibutsu of 609)
- Kyoto:
- Rokuon-ji with +Kinkaku golden pavilion of 1397 (norther Kyoto)
- Ryogen-in with most famous zen garden of Japan (northern Kyoto)
- Ryoan-ji with +Kare-sansui rock garden
- +Higashi Honganji (near train station)
- +Nishi Hondanji (near train station)
- To-ji (Kyoogokoku-ji) of 794 with five Akasagarbha of 9th c, kongo sanmaiin (1224) and tallest pagoda (1644) in Japan (near station)
- +Ginkakuji/Kinkaku-ji of 1482 with golden pavilion of 1489 (eastern Kyoto)
- Silver Pavilion of 15th c(eastern Kyoto)
- +Kiyomizu temple of 1633 to honor goddess of mercy Kannon (eastern Kyoto)
- +Sanjusangendo of 1164 with 1,001 wooden statues of the thousand-handed Kannon around Tankei's large seated Kannon of 1254, Fujin gods on altar by Tankei (eastern Kyoto)
- +Daitokuji with five-storey pagoda, +Daisen-in garden of 16th c, Koto-in and Ryogen-in temples, hojo by Kano Eitoku of 1566 in Jukoin (Kitaoji station of Karasuma subway line)
- Koryu-ji of 603, oldest temple in Kyoto, with wooden image of Miroku-Bosatsu-Hanka-Shii-zo and wooden female shinto bust of 9th c (Uzumasa station of Keifuku subway line)
- Seiryo-ji with statue of Sakyamuni (987)
- Tofuku-ji of 1236, one of the earliest zen temples, with +sanmon of 1425 and "Death of Buddha" (1408) by Mincho
- Katsura Imperial Villa (Katsura Rikyu) of 1624
- Fushimi-Inari shrine (1499)
- +Shishinden of old imperial palace
- +Nijo castle (1603)
- Takao (northwestern suburb of Kyoto): Jingo-ji of 9th c with +wooden statue of Yakushi of 9th c, five kokuzo of 9th c, Godai Kokuzo Bodhisattva of 9th c, Kongo-kai mandala of 9th c
- Mt Kasatori: Daigo-ji (913) with Yakushi triad (10th c) and five-storied pagoda (951)
- Uji (southern suburb of Kyoto): +Byodo-in of 1052 with +Ho-o-do/Phoenix Hall of 1053 (standard for Fujiwara's Amida halls), Jocho's 1053 +sculpture of Amitabha and ornate ceiling, and Ujigami Shrine of 12th c, oldest surviving shrine architecture in Japan
- Osaka: Kirin Plaza, +Himeji Castle of 1609, Kisho Kurokawa's Sony Tower (1976)
- Osaka: (+Tumulus tomb of Emperor Nintoku 5th century, +Shitennoji temple of 593)
- Kobe: +Hondo (1304) of Taisan-ji
- Himeji: +Shirasagi-jo castle
- Ise: +Naiku shrine, Kongosho-ji, Geku
- Wakajama: Wakayama castle of 1585, Choho-ji of 1000, Dojo-ji of 700, Koya-san holy mountain with Kongobu-ji with +Fudo-do (1198) and large hanging scroll of 1086, Kimii-dera temple, Kokawa-dera temple of 770, Negoro-dera of 1130
- Miyajima: +Itsukushima shrine (12th c)
- Taisha (southern Honshu): +Izumo Taisha Shrine (oldest shrine in Japan)
- Southern islands:
- Kyushu: Beppu: +Usa shintoist shrine (725)
- Shikoku: Kochi: Tosa shrine, Chikurin-ji, Kokubun-ji
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