Cool places to visit in Japan
Japan has many famous places popular with tourists, but if you are looking for something other than Nara Park in Kyoto or Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, check out our curated list of cool but underrated places to visit in Japan.
1. Small Worlds Tokyo – visit the largest indoor miniature theme park
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Step into the world’s largest indoor miniature theme park, Small Worlds Tokyo. The attraction features incredibly detailed Lilliputian worlds that are simply too adorable for their own good.
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The park is split into 6 different areas, each with its own theme. The first area is dubbed the “Global Village” as it consists of dioramas of 5 countries from Asia and Europe. The Global Village takes inspiration from the daily lives of these countries during the Industrial Revolution.
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The second area features a space station where you can witness space shuttles blasting off. This experience is enhanced by the smoke and lighting effect that make it seem more realistic.
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Small Worlds Tokyo also has a diorama of the Kansai International Airport, where you can watch tiny planes take off on miniature runways.
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If you are a fan of Sailor Moon or Neon Genesis Evangelion, you’re in for a treat as there are adorable miniature figurines of the characters from both anime situated in a diorama of a busy Tokyo.
Admission: ¥2,700 (~USD22.30) for those who are 18 years old and above, ¥1,900 (~USD15.69) for junior high and high school students, ¥1,500 (~USD12.39) for elementary and pre-school children
Address: Ariake Butsuryu Center, 1-3-33, Ariake, Koto-ku, 135-0063 Tokyo
Opening hours: 11am-8pm, Daily
2. Unko Museum Tokyo – see the dedication to poop
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Never would we have thought that there would be an entire museum dedicated to unko (うんこ; poop) but here we are. The Unko Museum in Tokyo has fun and interactive exhibitions that will not only entice kids but people of all ages alike.
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The museum is separated into six areas where you can engage with unko in many different ways. Visitors can take aesthetic photos at the Unstagenic area – a photogenic unko stage – that showcases sculptures of pastel-coloured poop that fill the space.
Image adapted from: @niga713
Next, you can head to Unteractive – an area that features interactive unko exhibitions – where visitors can shout unko while sitting on the toilet bowls and a random-coloured poop will appear in it.
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The museum also has a KusoGame Centre – a retro arcade area where visitors can, according to the official website, play crappy games and relieve stress.
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Visitors can head over to the Unko Factory to purchase some unko merchandise such as coloured toilet paper or unko figures. Be sure to head inside the store to find the aesthetic photo spot – the unko mart, where items are sorted according to their colours.
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If you would like to leave your mark at the museum, head over to the Untelligence area where you can draw your own poop within frames that resemble toilets on the walls, or appreciate the poop drawn by others.
Admission: ¥1,600 (~USD13.22) for those who are 12 years old and above; ¥900 (~USD7.43) for elementary school children; free for kids below 6 years old
Address: 1 Chome-1-10 Aomi, Koto City, 135-0064 Tokyo
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am-8pm | Sat-Sun 10am-8pm
3. Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto – view large paintings set in an outdoor garden
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The Garden of Fine Arts in Kyoto is a beautiful outdoor museum that exhibits large paintings that you can appreciate as you walk along the garden.
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The most striking piece in the garden is arguably the recreation of Michelangelo’s famous masterpiece – The Last Judgement – that covers the entire altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
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The garden also has one of Monet’s Water Lilies painting collection, Water Lilies – Morning, and it is submerged in water which gives an added texture to the painting.
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For those who have a keen eye for art and architecture, The Garden of Fine Arts will be a refreshing treat as it reproduces famous art paintings on a ceramic medium, and displays them in a modern outdoor setting designed by Tadao Ando – a famous Japanese architect.
Admission: ¥100 (~USD0.76)
Address: Shimogamo Hangicho, Sakyo Ward, 606-0823 Kyoto
Opening hours: 9AM-5PM (Closed on New Year Holidays)
Contact: 075-724-2188
4. Shoyeido Incense Museum (Kunjyukan) – discover the culture of incense
Image credit: KUNJYUKAN｜SHOYEIDO INCENSE CO.
Shoyeido Incense Museum, otherwise known as Kunjyukan, is an exhibition that details the production and culture of incense.
Image credit: KUNJYUKAN｜SHOYEIDO INCENSE CO.
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Step into the three Koh-boxes that are suspended from the ceiling to experience three different scents while being isolated from the rest of the world. Kaori (かおり; scent) box one features 空蝉香 (utsusemi ka; cicada scent) which has a distinctly sweet and refreshing scent of vanilla.
Kaori box two contains 練香 (neri kou; kneaded incense), which is a traditional incense that is made by kneading plum blossoms into powdered sandalwood, resulting in a gentle and soothing amalgamation of the fruity acidity of the plum blossom and the slightly musky scent of sandalwood.
Lastly, kaori box three 沈香 showcases agarwood incense, which has a slightly sweet undertone beneath its smoky wood scent that is reminiscent of a campfire.
Image credit: KUNJYUKAN｜SHOYEIDO INCENSE CO.
Tsugen – the cultural programmes room – was originally designed for guests to enjoy authentic tea and incense ceremonies, but it is primarily used to host incense-related events now.
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Besides their incense exhibitions, the museum also holds various other events and exhibitions so do check out their website for more information.
Address: Karasuma Nijo, Nakagyo Ku, 604-0857 Kyoto
Opening hours: 10am-5pm, Daily
Contact: 075-212-5590
5. Oniga-jo – go on a pilgrimage at a UNESCO World Heritage site
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Oniga-jo (鬼ヶ城; demon castle) is a natural rock wall that stretches across the coastline of Ise-Shima. The place is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a Kumano pilgrimage route in the Kii Mountain Range.
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Legend has it that an oni (鬼; demon) used to dwell at Oniga-jo and was responsible for the rough waves and winds that shaped the beautiful rock formations that we see today.
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You can see the unique honeycomb patterns on the ceilings of the caves at Oniga-jo, which are a result of wind erosion. The view from within the cave provides a stunning outlook of the Kumano ocean.
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The rock formations can be most clearly seen in the day, but if you are a fan of romantic, dreamy nights, visiting Oniga-jo when the sun sets would be an enchanting experience.
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If you are lucky, you might be greeted with a surreal starry night sky that will illuminate the silhouettes of the unique rock formations.
Address: 1835 Kinomotocho, Kumano, 519-4323 Mie Prefecture
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 0597-89-1502
6. Chichibugahama Beach – take natural mirror pics
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Chichibugahama Beach is a beautiful, 1km-long beach that many visit during the summer. The beach is famous for being a photo spot that allows visitors to take natural mirror photos.
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The stunning beach in Japan is often compared to the famous Uyuni Salt Lake in Bolivia and was selected as the best sunset view in 2018 on Jalan – a Japanese travel information website.
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Be sure to visit during sunset hours to get that dreamy photo that you came for. You can check the sunset timings for different dates here.
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There are three different types of photos you will be able to capture depending on when you take them. If you take the photos a few hours before sunset, you will get a crystal clear blue sky that is reflected in the water on the beach.
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Just before sunset, the whole beach will be enveloped in a warm orange glow as the soft hues from the sky will be reflected on the waters. The magical hour after sunset will transform the skies into a harsher orange overlapping with dark blue as night descends.
Pro tip: the best time to take the photo is when the tide is low and when there is no wind. Hold your camera or phone as close to the surface to the tide pool as possible in order to capture the best angle for the photo.
Address: Otsu-203-3 Niocho Nio, Mitoyo, 769-1404 Kagawa Prefecture
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 0875-56-5880
7. Shirogane Blue Pond – admire the blueness of the water here
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Shirogane Blue Pond is a pond in Hokkaido that is so vividly blue that it looks as if it has been dyed.
The mystery behind its striking colour lies in the mixing of aluminium particles from the streams of water from Shirogane onsen and water from the Biei river. The aluminium particles reflect the sun rays in shorter wavelengths, which results in us seeing the colour blue.
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The pond turns to its most vivid blue when summer arrives, beautifully contrasting with the surrounding greenery.
Image credit: @mizu_pfm
In autumn, the orange and red leaves of the trees around the pond will emerge, and together with the vibrant blue of the pond, a picturesque landscape will be created for you to admire.
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During winter, the pond will slowly freeze up as the trees fade to a monochrome palette, accumulating fresh white snow on their bare and empty branches. At night, the place will be illuminated and will resemble a captivating winter wonderland.
Address: Shirogane, Biei, Kamikawa District, 071-0235 Hokkaido
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 0166-94-3355
8. Oya History Museum – attend a concert or an art exhibition in an old mine
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The Oya History Museum is built in a former stone quarry. The building at the entrance of the huge underground mines exhibits the old mining tools used and the history of the mine itself.
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Oya stone – a type of durable volcanic stone only found locally – had been mined for centuries and was used to construct many of Japan’s buildings and structures that still exist today.
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Image credit: 大谷資料館
The underground mines showcase its massive depth as well as several old and rusted equipment. The mines are at a naturally chilly temperature of approximately 10°C, so do bring along a jacket if you are prone to the cold.
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The mines are mostly illuminated and are often used to hold various events such as concerts and art exhibitions.
Admission: ¥800 (~USD6.58) for adults, ¥400 (~USD3.29) for junior high and elementary school students, free for preschoolers
Address: 909 Oyamachi, Utsunomiya, 321-0345 Tochigi Prefecture
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 9am-5pm (Closed on Mondays) (Apr-Nov) | Wed-Mon 9.30am-4.30pm (Closed on Tuesdays) (Dec-Mar)
Contact: 028-652-1232
9. Site of Reversible Destiny – visit a theme park with unique art installations
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The Site of Reversible Destiny is an outdoor theme park littered with adorably massive art installations created by Japanese artist Shusaku Arakawa and American poet Madeline Gins.
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Right at the entrance of the theme park, there is a colourful building with a confusing layout on the inside that will leave you disoriented and confused as the floors, ceilings, and walls are all decorated with the same furniture.
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There is another building with a roof that is in the shape of the Gifu prefecture. The inside of the building is a maze with various entrances.
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The theme park’s confusing layouts, unique art installations, and its numerous hills and depressions will allow visitors to move about, train their balance, while surprising them with mysteries.
Admission: ¥770 (~USD6.33) for adults, ¥510 (~USD4.19) for high school students, ¥310 (~USD2.55) for junior high and elementary school students
Address: 1298-2 Takabayashi Yoro, Yoro District, 503-1267 Gifu Prefecture
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 9am-5pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: 0584-32-0501
10. Yakushima – bask in a mythical-looking forest
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Yakushima is an island in Kyushu that is home to countless towering cedar trees – some of which are over 7,000 years old.
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Although you might have never heard of the island, the scenery may still be familiar to you if you have seen the animated version of this dense and mossy forest in the mystical realm of Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke.
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There are two different routes where visitors can choose to hike – Shiratani Unsuikyo and Jomonsugi. The Shiratani Unsuikyo hike is the shorter of the two and you will be greeted by the inspiration for Princess Mononoke’s beautiful forest.
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Meanwhile, the Jomonsugi hike will take a much longer time to complete but you will be able to visit a popular photo spot – Wilson’s stump – where the top of the stump is in the shape of a heart.
Address: Yakushima, Kagoshima
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 0997-43-5900
Places to visit in Japan that you probably haven’t heard of
Japan never ceases to amaze us, be it its amazing pilgrimage routes so full of history and wonder, or its quirky and unique museums that you won’t find anywhere else. This list of places to visit in Japan will fuel your love for the country, as well as fulfil your travel desires.
While you’re planning your trip, you’ll want to check out these cherry blossom spots in Tokyo, and the best places to visit in Japan in fall. For those who are looking for an adventure outside of Tokyo, see this list of things to do in Nikko, or things to do in Konagai.
Cover image adapted from: @ao199_abkd_, @r7__happylife, @a_upqu_a, @channaka07
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