7 Best Places to Visit in Japan

Japan pairs ancient shrines and temples with a bullet train network that makes it easy to see them all in a single trip. Here are seven places worth building an itinerary around.

1. Mount Fuji

At 3,776 meters, Mount Fuji is Japan's tallest peak and one of its most recognizable symbols, visible from Tokyo on a clear day. It's a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1707-08, and it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2013 as a sacred site that has inspired centuries of Japanese art. The official climbing season runs from early July to early September; outside those months the trails are closed for safety.

2. Senso-ji Temple

Founded in 645 AD, Senso-ji in Tokyo's Asakusa district is the city's oldest temple. Visitors pass under the Kaminarimon, or "Thunder Gate," with its massive red lantern, then walk the Nakamise shopping street lined with traditional snacks and souvenirs on the way to the main hall.

3. Fushimi Inari Taisha

This Kyoto shrine is the head shrine of Inari, the Shinto god of rice and business, and it's famous for the thousands of vermillion torii gates that form tunnels up the wooded slopes of Mount Inari. Each gate is donated by an individual or business, and the full hiking loop to the summit and back takes a few hours.

4. Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto whose top two floors are covered in real gold leaf, reflected in the pond in front of it. Originally built in 1397 as a retirement villa, the current structure is a 1955 reconstruction after the previous building was destroyed by arson in 1950.

5. Hiroshima Peace Memorial

The Genbaku Dome is the only structure left standing near the hypocenter of the 1945 atomic bombing, deliberately preserved as a ruin rather than rebuilt. It anchors Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, standing as a lasting reminder of the bombing's history.

6. Itsukushima Shrine

On the island of Miyajima, Itsukushima Shrine's torii gate appears to float on the water at high tide, one of the most photographed sights in Japan. The shrine itself dates back to the 6th century, though the current structure was built in the 12th century, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

7. Osaka Castle

Built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Osaka Castle played a central role in the unification of Japan under his rule. The current main tower is a 1931 concrete reconstruction, surrounded by the original moats and massive stone walls, and the surrounding park is one of Osaka's most popular spots for cherry blossom viewing in spring.

Staying connected while you travel

Japan's mobile networks (NTT Docomo, KDDI, SoftBank) cover all seven of these destinations, from central Tokyo to the trails of Mount Fuji. An eSIM lets you land with data already active instead of hunting for airport Wi-Fi — compare current Japan eSIM plans below.

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For more on how eSIMs work before your trip, see our beginner's guide to eSIMs. You can also browse the full list of Japan eSIM plans sorted by price.