Made of close to 7000 islands, it is one of the most extraordinary places on earth.
The East Asia island country has the sixth-longest coastline in the world, accentuated by tallmountains.
It also has tons of castles,temples, amazing greenery, culture, and history.
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Most Beautiful Places in Japan
Japan is both modern yet traditional.
There is so much beauty to see here, but there are spots that stand out.
These charming spots make the list of the most beautiful places in Japan, as listed below.
Fushimi Inari also stands as a renowned Japanese shrine.
In the past, they grew rice to pay off warrior tax.
The shrine in southern Kyoto is one of the most beautiful places in Japan.
The site is world-renowned for its torii gates, stacks of vermillion gates straddling the extensive regions trails.
Standing tall behind the shrines principal buildings, the place is a wonder to the eye.
With an elevation of 233 meters, the mountain trail forms an excellent hiking trail.
The shrines origins stem back to the 7th century when the Hata family built the Fushimi Inari shrine.
The temple serving the god of sake and rice morphed into a shrine that provided luck and business fortune.
While the popular shrine is an attraction by itself, the showstopper is the wooded pathway up the mountain.
You will find many fox statues here, as foxes are believed to be the Inaris messengers.
The beautiful, dense green grove is one of Kyotos top tourist sites.
It comprises two distinct bamboo clusters set between the JR Sagano-Saiin train tracks and the Tenryu-Ji Temple grounds.
The temple is a world heritage site.
The 140 meters wide grove also backs the Nonomiya-Jinja shrine on its eastern section.
It is a decorative relic that stems from Kyotos classical age.
The forests region was home to noble imperial villas and temples.
Back then, bamboo was a popular garden element.
In the Edo period, the bamboo forest flourished for use as food and crafts production.
Fortunately, the government moved to protect them in 1967, preserving them as an iconic spot.
The incredible soaring sight is one of the most photographed in Kyoto.
The groves otherworldly aura pulls in walking crowds through its paved walkway.
The Bamboo Alley can have monstrous crowds on it during high season in fall and spring.
Fuji, the Japanese name for wisteria, features in many of the island countrys family crests.
Wisteria plants can outlast a century, so they are the epitome of everlasting wisdom.
There are wisteria variants in red, blue, and lavender.
Ashikaga Flower Park is a dream destination is less than two hours from Tokyo and measures 9 hectares.
The flower park highlights the beauty of diverse flowers, but its wisteria is the star attraction.
May turns this park into one of the most beautiful places in Japan.
The park has more to offer than its legendary wisteria tunnels.
The public garden has thousands of other flower varieties blooming in all seasons.
The historic and scenic park has vibrant spiraeas and tulips blossoming in April.
In fall, the park assumes a purple shade as the amethyst sage takes over.
In December, there are the winter light flowers that look like wisteria.
The Takeda castle comprises ruins on 350 meters elevation in the northern Hyogo Prefecture Mountains.
Built in the 1400s, the ancient castle has been through wars but was left vacant in the 1700s.
It fell to ruins over time but went through a restoration in the 80s and 90s.
It then became a tourist site.
There are no actual buildings at Takeda castle.
That said, most of its original foundations are in one piece.
The castle grounds layout is visible.
you could view the central fortresss outline and its three wings.
For the ultimate Takeda Castle adventure, visit the area between October and November.
Be there before sunrise and bring along a flask of coffee.
If you are lucky, find the morning mist shrouding the ruins around sunrise time.
One of the best viewing sites is the Ritsuunkyo on the slopes of the mountain.
Yoshino
One of the most significant aspects of Japanese culture is the celebration of sakura or the cherry blossom.
You will find the chefs outdoing themselves creating cherry blossom-themed cuisine.
Mount Yoshinoyama is also a world heritage site because of its longstanding relationship with Shinto and Buddhism religions.
Mystical monks and worshippers seek enlightenment in the region endowed with natural glory and spiritual depth.
you’ve got the option to easily access Mt.
Yoshino by train from Osaka, Nara, or Kyoto.
The best way to explore the areas beauty is by foot, after arrival at Yoshino Station.
That said, there are bus tours and the Yoshino Ropeway.
The Ropeway will give you an aerial view of the majestic mountain regions 30,000 plus cherry trees.
There are four cherry tree divisions on the mountain, planted to blossom in different seasons.
The most astounding seasonal view, however, is in spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom.
Yoshinos cherry blossoms are the inspiration behind much of the countrys folk songs, waka poetry, and art.
Some other attractions in the region include the Nyoirinji Temple and the Kinpusenji Temple.
6.Kenrokuen Garden
Japan has gorgeouslandscaped gardens.
In the East Asia country, a garden is not just an art form but has heavy religious meanings.
The Japanese also create their gardens to complement other art forms.
Every visitor to Japan must visit one of these gardens.
To miss out is a tragedy.
The garden also makes it to the list of the top three must-see landscaped gardens in the country.
Kenrokuen is a feat of landscaping and planning excellence.
It was the brainchild of the Maeda family that built it in 1676.
Its original name was Renchitei.
These six elements include seclusion, broad views, human artistry, antiquity, flowing water, and spaciousness.
As per old Chinese theories, these six elements can create a perfect garden.
The garden has an expansive park spanning over 25 acres.
The park-like space was Kanazawa castles outer garden.
A 3.5-meter high fountain is the gardens attraction.
The fountain is Japans oldest and uses the natural power of water pressure to refresh the garden.
The Kasumigaike pond at the end of the undulating garden pathway and several seclusion spots is a remarkable sight.
The beautiful landscape also hosts the Kotojitoro Lantern, the gardens symbol, and the Meiji Memorial.
The bay on Ishigaki Island shifts colors from green to blue under the bright sunlight.
The bay is home to diverse tropical fish and reefs.
It is also the first area to cultivate the black pearl.
You will find clean white sandy beaches, glass-like waters, joyful people, and many coral reefs.
Did you know Okinawa has one of the most laid back andhappiest communities on earth?
Okinawans are flourishing in their love for their folk music and dance in the coastal areas scenic beauty.
The thing about Kabira bay is that you cannot take a swim here despite all its magnificent beauty.
The area around Ishigaki Island has intense, dangerous currents.
As an illustration, take a glass-bottom boat tour to the waters and view exquisite coral and fish.
The dunes result from millennials of sand deposits from the Sendaigawa River to the sea.
Over time, the currents washed the sand back to the coastline, creating the two-kilometer wide dunes.
If you are feeling more adventurous, try the sand boarding and paragliding amenities available from local operators.
For excellent views of the dunes, visit the Sakyu Center observation deck and go sightseeing on a chairlift.
The Sand Museum with tons of sand sculptures is but a short walk from the dunes.
Visit the land of contrasting landscapes, religion, and culture and find more stunning places.
