Japan has so many sights throughout the country that when visiting for the first time, it can be overwhelming. This page will help you to find the most important sights in the Country of the Rising Sun. I did those sights in three and a half weeks, so it is possible in that duration by using public transport. The country has many more things to see and do, as I will show, but these are very important. Keep reading if you want to experience this fantastic country in the best way:

1. Explore the mighty capital Tokyo

Tokyo is the biggest city in the world, which you cannot miss on your travels through the country. It has so many different sights to discover, so you can stay here for a month and not see everything. The city is very modern, but it also has temples and traditional neighbourhoods. The areas you should absolutely visit are Asakusa, Shinjuku, Yamata, and Shibuya, but there are many more. Do not forget just to stroll around and surprise yourself about this city, which can be overwhelming, especially when you visit the city first after your arrival in Japan. 

Tourist occurrence: High, but because the city is so big, it feels medium

How to get here: Tokyo is easily reached by plain, car or public transport

How much time needed: 4-5 days

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2. Sleep in a traditional Ryokan

Sleeping in a ryokan is an absolute highlight in Japan. It is a local Japanese accommodation, which you should be experiencing in this country. You will sleep and eat on the ground, which is a really fun and interesting experience. Often there is an onsen (which is another highlight). Traditional food will be given, which many people would not have eaten in Japan. Note that there are some rules and habits you should be aware of. For example, you cannot wear your shoes in certain areas. 

Tourist occurrence: Low, as ryokans are often small-scale accommodations. 

How to get here: There are ryokans in many places, but the most traditional ones are in rural areas.

How much time needed: I stayed 4 nights in 2 different ryokans and that was enough for me. 

3. Visit a sumo training session

A sumo training in a stall was one of my absolute highlights of Japan. If you are in Japan when there are no big sumo tournaments (there are six every year), you can visit a training session, which is a unique experience. First the fighters will be doing a pretty long warm-up, and then they will fight/train against each other, and that is fantastic. The experience felt way more authentic than I expected, and this should be high on your list to do in Japan. This activity is in a couple of cities, but the best place to experience a training is in Tokyo. 

Price: Depending on where you book, but count on around ¥ 9,000

Tourist occurrence: Low, as you will be alone or with a maximum of 25 others.

How to get here: Depends on the stall and city you are in. 

How much time needed: It will take about 1.5-2 hours

4. Get relaxed in a onsen

As spoken at the ryokan, an onsen is often in those accommodations, but there are more places where you can relax in an onsen. Onsen are natural waters where you can bathe yourself. There are onsen inside and outside or a combination of both. There are certain rules to keep in mind, but that is explained locally (such as genders being separated and that you have to be naked). Before and after bathing in the onsen, you have to bathe yourself by sitting and showering yourself with soap. The onsen are very warm, and locals (and me) are often finished after 10 minutes, as it is more for bathing, but you can stay in as long as you want.

Tourist occurrence: Very low, as I was often by myself

How to get here: There are onsen in many places, but the most traditional ones are in rural areas.

How much time needed: It can be nice on a daily basis. 

5. Have a lovely day doing the Hakone Loop

The Hakone Loop is sometimes done as a day trip from Tokyo, but you can also stay in Hakone, which I recommend. If you are lucky, you can see Mount Fuji the whole day, or sometimes (not in my case). During the Hakone Loop you will take a scenic train, a ropeway, a gondola, a lovely hike, a scenic boat ride in a pirate ship, and a bus ride. You can have several activities, like visiting a tea house and a temple and enjoying a black egg on the way.

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get here: 2 hours from Tokyo

How much time needed: 1 full day, but I recommend on sleeping in Hakone for 2 nights

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6. Travel with the Shinkansen

Public transport in Japan is almost everywhere very easy and great. The trains are on time. However, the highlight of transportation is the Shinkansen, which can reach levels of 320 km/h (200 mph). The trains are very comfortable, and you can see the country in a very special and quick way. This is something you should do in Japan.

7. Admire the mighty Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is one of the most iconic landmarks of the country. We did not find this mighty mountain in Hakone because of the clouds, but I am very happy that we saw it during the train ride between Tokyo and Nagoya. That was spectacular but also the reason for the bad photo. The mountain is around 3,800 metres high, and that makes it the highest point of Japan.

How to get here: Mount Fuji is around 100 kilometers west of Tokyo and there are several places to see it like Hakone, but you are never guaranteed.

How much time needed: As long as you want to enjoy the view and how many time is needed to spot it. 

8. Hike a part of the Nakasendo trail in Kiso Valley

The Nakasendo trail is a trail between Edo (former Tokyo) and Kyoto. One of the best locations is in the Kiso Valley. Walking between Magome and Tsumago was my personal highlight of Japan. The hike is around 8 kilometres, and it goes through gorgeous forests and lovely villages. This is something you cannot miss in Japan. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: Two hours by public transport from Nagoya

How much time needed: The hike is around 2.5-3 hours, but you can extend it with one more hour to Nakiso Station. Besides, you can spend some time in Magome and Tsumago. 

If you want to know more about this hiking trail in the Kiso Valley, check out:

9. Visit the gorgeous city of Takayama

Takayama is a fantastic city, where you have some very cool streets with very old buildings and sake breweries. There are some good hikes in the area, some interesting museums and lovely morning markets. This is a small place, where you can enjoy many sights, streets, and hikes. The density of things to do is very high.

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get here: Two and a half hours by public transport from Nagoya

How much time needed: 1-2 days

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10. Watch Koi in canals in Hida

Close to Takayama you can find the village of Hida, which is a very cute village. The absolute highlight are the small canals with koi in them. The canals are very scenic, and the fish make it even better. The fish are not in the canals in winter. Other things to do in Hida are the very pretty Enkoji Temple, the lovely Festival Square, Seiganji Temple, and the almost communistic-looking city hall. This village is not one of the biggest highlights of Japan, but it is a lovely three-hour trip from Takayama. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How to get here: 15 minutes by train from Takayama, but check the train schedule on beforehand.

How much time needed: 2 hours

11. Admire the gorgeous houses in Shirakawago 

Shirakawago is one of the weirdest and most gorgeous villages I have been to. The houses are kind of triangles and very cool to see. It is a treasure to walk around, and you can also visit three houses, but that was not very interesting. The highlight of the village is the impressive viewpoint, where you see a great view of the whole traditional village. The hike up is around fifteen minutes' walk. For the rest I recommend walking around in the area. 

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get here: A bit less than an hour by bus from Takayama, and a bit over an hour by bus to Kanazawa

How much time needed: 4 hours

12. Explore the sights in Kanazawa

Compared to other cities, I do not think that Kanazawa is the most gorgeous city to visit. However, the city has many fantastic sights, such as several very old neighbourhoods and districts, museums, a great garden and way more. These are fantastic sights, and that makes this city very interesting to visit. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: 2 hours by train from Kyoto and 3 hours by train from Tokyo

How much time needed: 1-2 days

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13. Enjoy the best cuisine in the world

Japanese cuisine is my personal favourite cuisine in the world. I like many cuisines, but this is absolutely my favourite I have ever tried. The products are very pure and fresh. Of course, people will mostly think about sushi and ramen, but it has so much more. The different flavours are very impressive, and the constant smells in the street are perfect.

If you want to know which dishes, you should absolutely try, check out:

14. Find as many temples as possible in Kyoto

For many people who visit Japan, Kyoto is one of the highlights of the country. The city is the cultural capital of Japan and maybe the world, as it has over 2,000 temples. The temples are the most important sights in Kyoto, but there are way more sights to discover. The city was the capital of Japan from 794 until 1868, and that is one of the reasons that it is still one of the most important sights in the country and also the most visited. Biking is the fun way to go through the city. Kyoto cannot be missed in your itinerary. 

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How to get here: 3 hours by train from Tokyo, and half an hour from Osaka. The city is easily reached throughout the country and internationally. 

How much time needed: 4-5 days

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15. Find temples and deer in Nara 

Nara is the most popular day trip from Osaka and Kyoto, and for a good reason. There are a couple of very impressive temples to visit, and that is absolutely recommended. However, the strangest thing in Nara is the many deer walking around town. They are in the city, walking in temples, shops and stations. This is a great day trip. 

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get here: 40 minutes by train from Osaka and Kyoto

How much time needed: One day trip

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16. Have a Karaoke night

Karaoke is famous throughout the world, but it had its origins in Japan. That is the reason to experience singing. I am mostly used to having it in a large bar with many people, but in Japan you will have a private room with your own karaoke box, and you can order drinks. There are Western and Asian songs.This is a great thing to do in the evening, and these options are everywhere in Japan. 

17. Be amazed by Osaka

Osaka is one of the bigger cities in Japan, and it is great to visit. The city does not have as much to do during the daytime in comparison to Kyoto and Tokyo, but it is especially great during the evening and nighttime. Walk around the city in Dotonbori and be amazed by all the crazy things you will encounter. There are many options for street food as well, as Osaka is 'The Kitchen of Japan', which gives fantastic food options.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: 3 hours by train from Tokyo, and half an hour from Kyoto. The city is easily reached throughout the country and internationally. 

How much time needed: 1-2 days

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18. Feel humble in Hiroshima

Hiroshima is a great place to visit. Unfortunately, the city is famous for the atomic bomb, which gives the city a very rough history. The city has risen up, but it is still good to discover its past and the present. It has many sights to discover, and you can also make a day trip to the gorgeous Miyajima Island. Hiroshima cannot be missed in Japan.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: 4 hours by train from Tokyo, and 2 hours from Osaka. The city is easily reached throughout the country and internationally. 

How much time needed: 2 days

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19. Have a damtrip to Mijayima Island

Miyajima Island is a gorgeous island you can visit as a day trip from Hiroshima. The island has some of the best views in Japan, the famous shrine with a gorgeous view, some great temples, great food, and some deer walking around. Visiting this island was one of my personal highlights in Japan.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: One hour by boat from Hiroshima or by train and ferry from Hiroshima (this is a bit of longer than an hour).

How much time needed: 1 day

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20. Feel hopeful in Nagasaki

After Hiroshima there fell another atomic bomb, on Nagasaki. The city chose to promote peace after this horrific event, so many buildings are named after peace, like a park or a stadium. It also has a more relaxed vibe than other Japanese cities, which makes it a very interesting city to visit. It has some gorgeous views, parks, bridges and the impressive museum about the terrible bombing in 1945. This is an often overlooked city, which should definitely be on your itinerary.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: 7,5 hour from Tokyo by public transport. Other cities are closer, but it is further away than other sights. 

How much time needed: 2 days

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21. Have a relaxed end of the trip in Fukuoka

Fukuoka is an often overlooked city, and that is not correct. It has some of the most interesting yatai stalls, which are in different parts of town. The yatai stalls are small stalls with many different foods. This is a fantastic way to experience the culture and the absolute highlight of Fukuoka. The city is also the base of ramen, so that is the dish to try. There are also some sites with cool views, nice temples like Kushida Shrine, and museums as well. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How to get here: Fukuoka is easily reached from many parts of the world and Japan. It is a two and a half 

How much time needed: 1 day

Things I have not done, but can be interesting

I visited Japan for 3.5 weeks, but I think 3 months is not enough. There are many highlights in Hokkaido (especially gorgeous nature) and Okinawa (tropical beaches), for example, but there are more in areas I have been. The country is very diverse, and there are many interesting places. 

Final Thoughts

Japan is a fantastic country that I would absolutely recommend for many people. The country has a fantastic cuisine, gorgeous nature, lively cities, and an authentic culture. The society is very polite, and the streets and nature are very clean. The only thing is finding wildlife is a bit difficult, and there are not as many species in comparison to other countries. The country is unique, and there is no country that is a bit similar to Japan. This is a fantastic place to visit, even though it is getting more popular. 

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