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The First-Timer's Japan Guide

Guides, places, and what's on across Japan, written at street level.

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All Events Places

Temple

Shifuku-ji Temple

Shifuku-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in Sendai, relocated in 1591 to serve the Date family, renowned for its 1,200 blooming hydrangeas in early summer.

Sendai · Miyagi

Temple

Eigen-ji

Eigen-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple founded in 1361 that serves as head temple of the Eigen-ji branch, overseeing over 120 temples and housing the revered Yotsugi Kannon statue.

Higashiomi · Shiga

Park & Garden

Nara Park

Large public park in Nara home to over 1,200 free-ranging sacred Sika deer, with historical temples and shrines for visitors to explore.

Nara

All Events Places

Temple

Shifuku-ji Temple

Shifuku-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in Sendai, relocated in 1591 to serve the Date family, renowned for its 1,200 blooming hydrangeas in early summer.

Sendai · Miyagi

Temple

Eigen-ji

Eigen-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple founded in 1361 that serves as head temple of the Eigen-ji branch, overseeing over 120 temples and housing the revered Yotsugi Kannon statue.

Higashiomi · Shiga

Park & Garden

Nara Park

Large public park in Nara home to over 1,200 free-ranging sacred Sika deer, with historical temples and shrines for visitors to explore.

Nara

Shrine

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine

Shinto shrine at the northern base of Mount Fuji dating to the 2nd century, serving as the traditional departure point for Mount Fuji pilgrimages.

Fujiyoshida · Yamanashi

Temple

Enryaku-ji

Founded in 788 by Saichō, this Tendai Buddhist headquarters on Mount Hiei hosts the famous kaihōgyō practice and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Otsu · Shiga

Temple

Aizendo Shomanin

Aizendo Shomanin is a Tendai Buddhist temple and the first stop on a seventeen-temple pilgrimage honoring Aizen Myo-o, housing Osaka's oldest wooden pagoda structure.

Osaka

Temple

Hokke-dō

Todai-ji's oldest building, constructed between 740-747 and originally dedicated to a Kannon statue, later renamed for the annual Lotus Sutra ceremony.

Nara

Temple

Daiju-ji

A Pure Land Buddhist temple founded in 1475 by Matsudaira Chikayoshi, built to honor fallen war dead and serving as the ancestral temple of the Tokugawa shoguns.

Okazaki · Aichi

Temple

Chūson-ji Temple

The head Tendai temple founded in 850, significantly expanded in the 12th century and designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Hiraizumi · Iwate

Temple

Kongōrin-ji

A Tendai sect Buddhist temple founded in the early Heian period, housing a National Treasure main hall with Heian-period statues and garden.

Aisho · Shiga

Mountain

Mount Takao

Tokyo-area mountain with eight hiking trails and funicular access, drawing 2.5 million annual visitors for autumn foliage and cherry blossoms.

Hachioji · Tokyo

Temple

Yakushi-ji

Seventh-century Buddhist temple in Nara, built in Chinese style and ranked among the Seven Great Temples, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nara

Park & Garden

Hirosaki Park

Hirosaki Park features cherry blossom trees, a castle with moat, temples, shrines, and recreational activities including boating and picnicking.

Hirosaki · Aomori

Temple

Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do

Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do, established in 801 AD within a natural cave, merges geology with spiritual architecture, preserving 1,200 years of worship.

Hiraizumi · Iwate

Temple

Kennin-ji Temple

Kennin-ji, located in Kyoto's Gion district, is the oldest Zen temple in the city, founded in 1202 as the head temple of the Rinzai Zen Buddhism branch.

Kyoto

Temple

Yakuoin Onsenji Temple

A temple traditionally attributed to Myokaku Shonin, credited with developing the Japanese syllabary system, with the priest believed to be buried at this sacred site.

Kaga · Ishikawa

Temple

Toyokawa Inari

A Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1441, renowned for its syncretic guardian deity blending Buddhist and Shinto traditions as a symbol of fertility and commercial success.

Toyokawa · Aichi

Shrine

Senso-ji Temple

One of Tokyo's oldest temples dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon since the 7th century, Senso-ji features the iconic Kaminarimon gate and bustling Nakamise-dori shopping street.

Tokyo