Shrines, museums, parks, and the spots in between, with the access details worked out.
Castle in Uwajima held by the Date clan, with a pentagonal moat layout that left blind spots for attackers, and damaged by earthquakes over the centuries.
Uwajima · EhimeMedieval castle ruins in Matsuyama linked to the Kono clan, with double moats, listed among the Top 100 Castles for their rare early castle architecture.
Matsuyama · EhimePure Land Buddhist temple in Okazaki, founded in 1475 by Matsudaira Chikayoshi to honour the war dead, and the ancestral temple of the Tokugawa shoguns.
Okazaki · AichiA shrine devoted to the protection of sailors and sea transport, requiring a climb of 785 steps to the main shrine on Mount Zozu.
Kotohira · KagawaA 250-meter shopping street leading to Senso-ji temple with 89 shops, rebuilt multiple times after 1885 closure, 1923 earthquake, and bombing.
TokyoA Shinto shrine in Matsuyama with roots in a visit by Emperor Chuai and Empress Jingu to Dogo Onsen, enshrining multiple emperors as cultural treasures.
Matsuyama · EhimeOne of Japan's three most famous Inari shrines, dedicated to the god of agriculture and prosperity, known for vermilion torii gates and statues.
Kashima · SagaRinnoji is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Nikko within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its Sanbutsudo hall and the National Treasure Taiyuin mausoleum.
Nikko · TochigiTokyo's largest and most-visited city park, built on former temple grounds and featuring museums and spring cherry blossom viewing.
TokyoFortress without a traditional keep, reflecting Tokugawa political order and built as a luxurious residential palace to demonstrate authority and wealth.
Sendai · MiyagiFuture Train on Kyoto's Umekoji viaduct is Japan's first restaurant on a disused railway, featuring a repurposed Limited Express Thunderbird train car.
KyotoYamaguchi shrine dedicated to Mori Motonari, the Sengoku-period warlord who unified the Chugoku region and established the powerful Mori clan.
YamaguchiLate fifteenth-century stronghold that served as the seat of the Hojo clan, rebuilt in the 1960s as a museum and observation point.
Odawara · KanagawaA prominent Shingon Buddhist temple renowned for its spiritual power to dispel misfortune and grant various blessings to visitors.
Kawasaki · KanagawaTokyo Joypolis, Japan's largest indoor amusement park, features VR-enhanced thrill rides, rhythm-game coasters, arcade games, and anime-themed attractions.
TokyoOkutsuhime Shrine on remote Hegurajima island was founded by traditional female divers and preserves centuries of maritime worship traditions.
Wajima · IshikawaHie Shrine in Tokyo's Nagatacho district dates to the Kamakura period and served as guardian deity of Edo Castle and the Imperial Palace.
TokyoTokyu Kabukicho Tower is a 48-story, 225-meter skyscraper unveiled in 2023 featuring cinemas, hotels, art exhibitions, and entertainment venues.
Tokyo
