Tokyo, Japan - Tokyo, Japan 12 days trip

Brimming with undeniable energy, Japan's capital and largest city is a vast metropolis full of museums, parks, and cultural monuments.

Vibrant colors, tastes, smells, and sounds awaits you as you venture into the heart of Tokyo, where streets buzz with energy.

Honoring Emperor Meiji, this Shinto shrine is nestled within a tranquil forest, offering walking paths and amulets stalls.

With interesting architecture and and abundance of bars, this Shinjuku district has become Tokyo's flourishing nightlife hub.

Dating to the 17C, this ornate shrine boasts gold-leaf doors and pillars, fine sculptures and artwork, and ancient relics.

With rides and attractions for all ages, both adults and children will love Japan's exciting Disney theme park.

Providing easy access to the national park surrounding Mt. Fuji, this charming town also offers museums and traditional hot springs.

Japan's oldest national museum is the country's largest art museum and exhibits artwork and archaeology from all over Asia.

Tokyo's oldest temple dates to the 17C and is a favorite of foreign and local travelers, boasting gardens, eateries, and charm stalls.

Dating to the 17C, this garden incorporates motifs of Chinese landscaping, featuring ponds, falls, bridges, and walking paths.

A museum tracing the history of Tokyo throughout the Edo Period, featuring a replica of an iconic bridge, city models, and more.

Enjoy some of Japan's most breathtaking scenery at this park, mostly made up of forest-covered mountains and home to ancient shrines.

Respectfully called Fuji-san by the locals, this volcano is a symbol of Japan and can often be viewed from miles away.

One of the world's most upscale shopping districts, Ginza features many boutiques, department stores, cafes, and chic restaurants.

Leading into Ueno Park, this district is home to some of Tokyo's most iconic cultural landmarks including museums, temples, and more.

Encompassing a variety of styles, visitors enjoy strolling through various types of gardens ranging from Japanese to English and more.

The oldest zoological establishment in Japan dates to the 19C, boasting a wealth of animals, playgrounds, and a theme park nearby.

Though the largest city in Japan, Yokohama retains a laid back atmosphere, boasting jazz clubs, fine restaurants, and more.

Only an hour from Tokyo, Kamakura is saturated with history, boasting many fine temples and shrines, as well a lovely popular beach.

Full of shrines and home to Shinto festivals, this popular district boasts historic buildings, shops, stalls, and geisha houses.

A museum of contemporary art, housing temporary and limited solo exhibitions by Asian and international artists.

Tokyo's red-light district may never hosted a Kabuki theater, but it now offers bars, shops, clubs, restaurants, and movie theaters.

Perhaps Tokyo's best site to see the blooming of cherry blossoms, this great park offers walking trails and a lovely boat pier.

While playing a military role throughout its history, the isle is now a marine park, offering camping, fishing, and diving opportunities.

Featuring historic buildings from the Edo Period, this open-air museum offers demonstrations and workshops of traditional crafts.

A culturally significant city, Nara is full of Japanese heritage, historic landmarks, as well as a wealth of shrines and temples.

Home to the largest bronze Buddha in the world, this 8C shrine features many statues, lovely gardens, ornate decorations, and more.

Visit one of the historic shrines, walk along the bustling streets, or spend the afternoon in the central park watching the deer.

Surrounded by a protected primeval forest, this 8C Buddhist temple boasts lovely stone and bronze lanterns lining its main walkway.

With parts dating as far back as the 17C, this picturesque Japanese garden features lovely plants, tea-houses, and a museum.

The capital of Imperial Japan for a whole millennium, the charming Kyoto is full of museums, cultural monuments, castles, and parks.

A district renowned for its pleasant nature, featuring a bamboo grove, diverse flora, architectural curios, and quaint villages.

Located in a Classical building, the museum features a collection of Buddhist art, including paintings, sculptures, and religious items.

Known for its deer population, this large park is also home to the Nara National Museum, ancient wooden houses, and a Buddha statue.

A historically significant 7C temple, which features stately pagodas, halls, and a museum exhibiting fine Buddhist artwork.

One of the world's oldest wooden buildings dates to the 7C, boasting superb architecture and several exquisite decorative elements.

A 7C Buddhist temple with several remarkable architectural elements, including the Main Hall, the covered staircase, and the gate.

While a blooming wonder April to September, the rest of the year sees the gardens covered in a multitude of colorful LED lights.

Visit Japan's renowned Shinto shrine complex, walking through torii gates, taking in unique cultural elements, and enjoying the calm.

A national park most popular during the cherry blossom season, but also featuring shores, mountains, forests, and native flora.

Retaining ancient Japanese architecture, as well as traditional samurai and geisha districts, Kanazawa also boast a great art museum.

One of Japan's best gardens is famed for its beauty. It features a tea house, a temple, Japan's oldest fountain, and more.

Stroll through this delightful historic center, lined with traditional wooden houses, rich in historic charm.

A museum of contemporary art housed in an impressive circular complex, known for its experimental and interactive installations.

This 16C temple is famed for its many hidden staircases, secret chambers, and escape tunnels, and is often nicknamed the Ninja Temple.

Travel back in time to this preserved village known for it gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some dating back over 250 years.

Located at the heart of the Japanese Alps, Takayama is a beautiful small town, home to elegant 17C architecture, galleries, and historic temples.

A 17C garden maintained by four consecutive generations of the same family, featuring waterfalls, various flowers, and a tea house.

A fine example of traditional Japanese dwelling, this villa features several remarkable architectural elements.

Displaying nearly 20 types of traditional Japanese crafts, this museum exhibits textile, woodwork, pottery, paintings, and more.

This rugged national park is known for its valleys, gorges, and impressive Alps, some of whose peaks reach over 3,000 meters.

Nestled among mountains, this valley offers an array of beautiful hiking trails. Be advised that the area is closed in the winter.

Named for the family that ruled the town from 1471-1573, these ancient ruins include temples, homes, craft shops, streets, and more.

A lovely spa town home to magnificent nature and hot springs, where visitors enjoy the convalescent waters of the baths and pools.

Learn about and touch live deep sea creatures from Toyama Bay, like the firefly squid, in the only museum of its kind in the world.

The main attraction of this charming park by the sea is a majestic sailing ship, which houses a naval history museum.

A city favored by both travelers and locals for its stately historic castle, surrounding nature, fine galleries, and quaint streets.

A 16C castle colloquially called Crow Castle due to its black facade, this well-preserved fort retains its original wooden interior.

Be sure to taste the local soba noodles before you head off exploring the center's charming streets, bustling shops, and nice cafes.

With a special focus on the traditional woodblock prints, this museum offers an interesting insight into Japanese art.

Visit this modern museum to admire its wealth of contemporary art, including a collection by the renowned artist Yayoi Kusama.

Known as "The God's Crossing," when the lake's surface freezes, the natural hot springs beneath the surface continue to bubble.

Nestled among mountains, this valley offers an array of beautiful hiking trails. Be advised that the area is closed in the winter.

Located at the heart of the Japanese Alps, Takayama is a beautiful small town, home to elegant 17C architecture, galleries, and historic temples.

Discover acidic mineral springs where ball-shaped moss covers the area like a bright green carpet.

Made up of five unique shrines, this complex is located at the base of Mount Togakushi and is surrounded by 300 Cryptomeria trees

A lovely spa town home to magnificent nature and hot springs, where visitors enjoy the convalescent waters of the baths and pools.