10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO SEE IN JAPAN

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Japan the Country of the rising sun and a fascinating place where tradition blends perfectly with technology and modernity. There's a lot things to see and do in JapanIn addition to the kindness and education of its people that will allow you to enjoy all this without the language barrier being any insurmountable obstacle, contrary to what you can read. Other reasons to visit Japan is its cuisine, with which its fresh fish, sushi, ramen, tempura, yakisoba or okonomiyaki will delight lovers of this meal.
If it is your first visit we recommend these 10 essential places to see in Japan, based on the experience of our trip to Japan in 21 days for free. We start!

1. Kyoto

Kyoto, the city of geisha and maikos and our favorite city in Japan. The city is full of temples and shrines, the Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine, the Ginkakuji, Kinkaku-ji or Golden Pavilion, Ryoan-ji and the Kiyomizudera temple are some of the most essential places to visit in Kyoto. Nor can you stop walking along the Way of Philosophy or the Bamboo Forest of Arashiyama, look for a geisha through the traditional Gion neighborhood, travel along Pontocho and Ninenzaka, among other things to see and do in Kyoto.
From Kyoto you can make several excursions, one or two days to some of the wonders of Japan with the bullet train and the Japan Rail Pass, among which the most prominent are Kobe, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji Castle, Osaka and Nara.

Kyoto

2. Miyajima

Miyajima is an island full of magic and one of the places what to see in Japan more essential, in addition to having been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The island is located near Hiroshima and its most prominent and sacred place is Itsukushima Shrine, partially built on the sea.
Another of the outstanding monuments is La Puerta Ootorii, the symbol of Miyajima, a wooden torii built in the sea that when the tide falls you can approach its base.
For us it was one of the most beautiful places of the trip and we always recommend spending a night in Miyajima
A good option to learn more about the history of the island and the touching Hiroshima is to book this guided tour in Spanish.

Miyajima

3. Shirakawa-go

Shirakawa-go, the town of the White River, is a historic village located in the Japanese Alps. It stands out for the architecture of its houses built in the Gassho-zukuri style with its thatched roofs that look like two hands placed in prayer position and that are useful to support the large amount of snow in that area.
To get to Shirakawa-go you have to take a bus in Takayama, which will leave you there in just over an hour. The town is very small and in about 3 hours you can visit it, although you should not forget to go up to the viewpoint, since the views from there are really incredible. Of course, if you do it with snow, you have to be careful, since it is a bit dangerous.

Shirakawago

4. Nara

Nara, located south of Kyoto, is an ancient capital of Japan with several prominent places to visit. The most essential place what to see in Nara It is Todaiji Temple, where the spectacular Great Buddha of Nara is located inside its large wooden structure. Before arriving at the temple you will pass through the beautiful Nara park, full of deer with several temples and gardens.
Visiting Nara is one of the most typical excursions in Kyoto and you can take the train trip to see one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in Japan, the Fushimi Inari-Taisha. Another recommended option is to book a guided tour in Spanish, considered one of the best excursions in Kyoto.
This guide on how to use transportation in Japan will be very useful.

Nara

5. Tokyo

Tokyo is an endless city with temples, skyscrapers, millenary traditions and state-of-the-art technology, in which at many times you feel like on a trip to the future.
A city like this, with such a population index, which in other countries would be unfeasible, here we can say that it flows without large agglomerations.
There are many things to see and do in Tokyo, among which we can highlight the sunset over Tokyo from Odaiba Island, the visit to the Meiji Shrine and the Sensoji Temple, climb the Tokyo Tower, eat the best sushi near Tsukiji, Surprise yourself on Takeshita Dori Street, cross the Shibuya crosswalk or tour the neighborhoods of Ginza, Akihabara or Shinjuku.
From Tokyo you can make several excursions taking advantage of the Japan Rail Pass such as Kamakura, Yokohama, Nikko or see Mount Fuji from one of its viewpoints.

Tokyo

Recommended travel cards
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

6. Himeji Castle, one of the best places to see in Japan

Himeji Castle is one of the most impressive castles in the world and one of the places you have what to see in Japan.
Unesco World Heritage Site, it is one of the few that are preserved from the Middle Ages. It has been in restoration for many years but since the beginning of 2015 it looks in all its splendor and has become one of the star visits of the country.
This castle is nicknamed "the White Heron"For its white color and is built on a hill surrounded by cherry trees, which in spring make it one of the postcards of Japan.
From Kyoto you can go on the bullet train or book an excursion that includes the city of Kobe.

Himeji Castle, one of the best places to see in Japan

7. Nikko

Nikko is another of the World Heritage sites and that there are what to see in Japan. It is one of the most common excursions by tourists who are in Tokyo, standing out especially for its shrines and sacred temples. One of the places you can not miss is the Toshogu Temple, known as the sanctuary of the 3 wise monkeys and considered as the country's national treasure. Other places you have to see are the Shinkyō Bridge, the Rinnoji Temple, the Futarasan Shrine and the Taiyuinbyo.
To get to Nikko from Tokyo you can take the Shinkansen or book a guided tour in Spanish, with which in two hours you will reach the city.

Nikko, one of the best places to see in Japan

8. Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is a photogenic sacred volcano, the highest peak in the country and one of the best excursions in Tokyo. The volcano has very little activity and in summer many people take advantage of the good weather to climb to the top or practice mountaineering. The Fuji can be seen on clear days from Tokyo, especially between the months of May until September, although it is advisable to take a day trip to see it closer. Without a doubt, one of the best tips for a trip to Japan.
There are several places from which you have great views of Fuji such as the Hakone area, Kawaguchiko Lake, Fujiyoshida Arakurayama Sengen Park or from the same Shinkansen bullet train, among many others.
A comfortable option if you do not want to use public transport is to book this tour to Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko with audio guide in Spanish.

Mount Fuji

How to have internet in Japan?
If you want to have internet in Japan a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.

9. Kamakura

Kamakura is a city famous for its temples and shrines that make it one of the essentials of Japan. The Kotokuin Temple is the most famous with the huge bronze statue of Daibutsu or Great Buddha of Kamakura. Other important places in the city are the sanctuary of Kamakura-gu and Tsurugaoka Hachiman, the Zen temples of Kenchō-ji and Engaku-ji, the Tōkei-ji convent, the Hase-dera temple and the tombs of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo Masako
And as an extra we will tell you that if you are lucky with the weather and the sky, from the beaches of Kamakura you can see Mount Fuji, another reason not to miss this getaway.
Kamakura is located less than an hour by train from Tokyo and you can take advantage of the trip to also visit the city of Yokohoma. A good option is to book a guided tour in Spanish.

Kamakura in Japan

10. Hiroshima

Hiroshima is a city marked by its history following the explosion of the atomic bomb in World War II. It is not a pleasant visit as such, but we do believe it is necessary on any trip to Japan.
As you approach the Dome of the Atomic Bomb, one of the few buildings that are preserved after the explosion, you will realize the magnitude of the disaster and the horror that its inhabitants lived. Another of the places to visit is the Peace Memorial Museum, with objects, memories and information from that fateful August 6, 1945.
It is a visit that you can do from Kyoto in a day with the Shinkansen, being able to take advantage of the same day of the trip to visit the nearby Miyajima Island.