No doubt, Japan is one of the best holiday destinations in Asia. For us, visiting Japan has been a beautiful dream for the past two years. Now that Japan is set to reopen its borders for independent tourists, it is time to hunt for the best city to visit in Japan and plan your itinerary!

It will be really hard to decide which is the best city in Japan, the most beautiful one, the most refreshing one, and more. In fact, each city in Japan has its own characteristics. The best nature city might go to Kyoto, but that doesn’t mean other cities don’t have nature destinations.

It will be easy to spot the best modern city in Japan. It goes to Tokyo, followed by Osaka.

Map of cities in Japan

Here are some of the cities in Japan we recommend you visit on your next holiday:

okyo is the capital city of Japan and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. When visiting Japan, more often than not, you will land in Tokyo first. The capital city of Japan is home to two international airports, Narita and Haneda. Step outside and plenty of interesting attractions await.

Tokyo offers a beautiful blend of history and culture, both traditional and modern. It houses a number of historical sites, from Asakusa Kannon, the oldest temple in Japan, to the Imperial Palace, where the emperor resides. On the modern side, you’ll find the popular Disneysea theme park, Shinjuku entertainment centre, and Ginza shopping district. Interested in flying to Tokyo? Book your Sydney to Tokyo flight now.

Kyoto, considered by many as Japan’s most beautiful city, was the Japanese capital until the government moved to Tokyo in 1868. Japan’s former capital, Kyoto, houses hundreds of Buddhist and Shinto shrines. Each shrine has an interesting history and, very important for young travellers nowadays, an Instagrammable look.

Located northwest of Kyoto, the Kinkaku-ji shrine was built above a reflective pool and has a gold-plated wall. You can also find Fushimi Inari Taisha, which has a row of red temple gates (Torii) you’ve most definitely seen on various websites and social media. Also, don’t miss the chance to visit Kiyomizudera Temple, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Osaka is Japan’s third-largest city and was the country’s first capital. As the second-largest metropolitan city after Tokyo, Osaka is an economic powerhouse and is considered a vital economic centre in Japan. Formerly known as Naniwa, Osaka houses one of the most important sites in Japan’s history, the Osaka Castle. The castle was built in the 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the military leader who succeeded in uniting Japan.

Osaka is also home to Universal Studios Japan, a theme park from one of the major film studios in Hollywood. Another place that you should not miss while visiting Osaka is Shinsaibashi, which is an entertainment centre and a great place to buy souvenirs for your loved ones at home.

Located south of Tokyo, Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second-largest city in Japan by population. It houses an abundance of famous sightseeing sites like the seaside urban area Minato Mirai, the historic Red Brick Warehouse, and Yokohama Chinatown.

Big fans of Japanese cuisine will get a kick out of their visit to Yokohama as the city has one of the most interesting museums around, the Ramen Museum. Aside from learning its history, you can eat, shop, and even try to make your own ramen there.

You are probably familiar with Hiroshima because of its history. Hiroshima is known for being the first city attacked by an atomic bomb in the world. Right now, Hiroshima is one of people’s favourite destinations, making it one of the best cities in Japan to visit during the holiday.

When you visit Hiroshima, it wouldn’t be gloomy at all due to its history. Although, there are some places in Hiroshima that will remind people of the bombing. The Atomic Bomb Dome, also known as Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, is one of them.

A more heartbreaking place related to the 1945 tragedy is the nearby Children’s Peace Monument. It will make you think about the children that died because of the bombing.

But don’t worry, Hiroshima also has plenty of cheerful places. Get to know the culture more by visiting Itsukushima Shrine and enjoy its beauty. Get amazed by the castles in Hiroshima, like Hiroshima Castle and Fukuyama Castle.

Also, strolling around to get some delicious food would be a great idea!

The next best city to visit in Japan is Nara. Nara is close to Osaka and Kyoto. For those of you that love cultural trips, Nara is a must-visit city for you. It will greet you with its collection of temples.

Nara has plenty of temples! There is Todaiji Temple, Horyuji Temple, Kasuga Taisha, Toshodaiji Temple, and more. Of course, each temple will have its own characteristic and story, so you can visit them one by one if you like.

Other than those temples, you can enjoy the outdoors in Nara Park, where you can meet all the wild deer. A National Museum is also available in Nara, consisting of Buddhist art. Well, Nara is one of the best cities in Japan with a strong Buddhist background.

Who likes visiting Japan during winter? Well, if you are one of them, then Sapporo is your next best city in Japan. Sapporo has so many attractions related to winter themes, such as skiing and visiting winter festivals. But surely, Sapporo is not only nice during winter. You can visit this best city in Japan anytime you want and enjoy all the fun things to do there!

The next thing you should do is check out Sapporo Beer if you are a fan of beer. Expand your knowledge about Sapporo Beer by visiting the Sapporo Beer Museum. Other than that, you can choose other things to visit. More museums are available: Hokkaido Museum, which will explain the history of Hokkaido, or Hokkaido Museum of Art for all the art lovers.

You can take a walk and enjoy Sapporo while enjoying the streets or the parks. Check the Clock Tower, stroll around Moerenuma Park, or visit the 100th Anniversary Memorial Park.

Japan is strongly associated with hot springs, or what they call “onsen” in Japanese. So, if you are looking for the best city in Japan with plenty of hot springs or onsen, Beppu is your answer.

The location is very strategic for Beppu to have plenty of onsen. They even call the geothermal hot spots in Beppu the “eight hells of Beppu”. Pretty scary, but they are actually not. Beppu is what you are looking for when you need some relaxing time while soaking and enjoying the natural hot water.

It is very easy to find the hot springs in Beppu. Just search for Hells of Beppu, Umi Jigoku, and more. Other than being number one for onsen, you can hike on Mount Tsurumi, shop at Kitakoka Shotengai Shopping Street, ride the Beppu Ropeway for the greatest view of Beppu, and the most unique one, visit Beppu Beach and try bathing in the sand!

The food in Beppu is spectacular too. Trying the Chicken Tempura and Chicken Karaage in Beppu is a must!

On the island of Honshu, you will find another best city to visit in Japan: Kobe. If you crave a place with a beautiful view of the mountains or the harbour, you can visit Kobe while you are in Japan.

The most known and famous site in Kobe is the memorial of the earthquake tragedy back in 1995. There is a Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park to commemorate the incident. It was a big earthquake, one of the biggest earthquakes that happened in Japan. Related to the incident, there is also a statue of the robot that helped rebuild the city. The robot is called The Tetsujin 28.

Anyway, there is still more of Kobe that you can enjoy. This best city to visit in Japan has a variety of destinations, starting with the Oji Zoo, which you can visit with your kids, the Ikuta Shrine for a more cultural destination, Mount Rokko for those of you that love to hike, and a tour of the sake brewery.

Last but not least, the best city to visit in Japan is Kanazawa. When you spend your holiday in Japan, don’t forget to take a day or two to stay in Kanazawa and enjoy all the things you get to see and do here.

You will be spoilt for choice when arranging your Kanazawa itinerary because there are too many interesting places to visit! You can find almost everything in Kanazawa: modern museums, onsen, parks and gardens, temples, and plenty of food to try. Even the Kanazawa station itself is very aesthetic. You can take some mandatory pictures there.

During late March to April, Kanazawa is the best city in Japan to enjoy the cherry blossoms as well. But, if you are not going at that time, you don’t need to worry as there are more things to see and do.

The Hakusan National Park, for example, will refresh your sights and be your company when you want to hike. There are still more gems for your eyes: Matsumoto Castle, Kamikochi, or the Kiso-Ontake Mountain Range.

Also, if you plan to go soon, you can pick December as you can enjoy the ski resorts in Nagano.

From the bustling, never-sleeping city of Tokyo to quiet suburban villages with beautiful mountain views and warm onsen, this curated list of the top tourist attractions in Japan offers a diverse range of experiences that await you.

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