Japan.
Obanazawa
A city in Yamagata Prefecture known for receiving some of the highest snowfall in the world — over two metres in an average winter — Obanazawa has even devel…
Lakefront Village of Sugaura
Designated a nationally important cultural landscape in 2014, this compact lakeside hamlet on the western inlet of the Tsuzurao Peninsula sits along the nort…
Owase
A compact Japanese port town where densely packed low-rise streets meet a working harbour, backed dramatically by steep, forest-covered mountains that drop a…
Shuzenji
A Japanese hot-spring town on the Izu Peninsula where a rocky river rushes through a compact centre of traditional inns, autumn-coloured maples, and wooded h…
Kiryū
Kiryū, in Gunma Prefecture, is a textile city long defined by Kiryū-ori, a traditional silk-weaving craft that has left the city with a dense concentration o…
Otsu
Enryaku-ji, the ancient headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist sect on Mount Hiei, draws visitors to this lakeside prefectural capital in Shiga, Japan.
Kurokawa Onsen
Forested valley in Kumamoto's uplands holds this atmospheric hot-spring village, where multi-storey timber ryokan line a modest river and visitors stroll the…
Toyooka
Toyooka, in the northern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, is known as the last habitat of wild Oriental storks in Japan, with ongoing conservation and breeding prog…
Sumoto
Waterfront town on Awaji Island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Sumoto sits where mountains meet the sea, with scenic viewpoints in the surrounding hills and a compact…
Tokushima
Tokushima, the capital of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island, sits at the water's edge and markets itself as a "water city," with mountains close by.
Kinosaki
Lantern-lit canal lined with traditional multi-storey inns, willow-draped stone embankments, and an arched bridge reflected in still water makes this compact…
Amami
This waterfront city on Amami Ōshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture serves as the island's main port and economic hub, with a walkable centre well supplied w…
Iida
A city in southern Nagano Prefecture designated by the Japanese government as an environmental model city for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, Iida serves a…
Karatsu
This coastal city in Saga Prefecture on Kyushu, Karatsu sits on Genkai-nada bay with scenic viewpoints across the surrounding area and UNESCO World Heritage…
Katsuragi
This town in Nara Prefecture where traditional temple complexes with red-and-dark-timber halls, stone lanterns, and forested hillside backdrops sit close to…
Izunokuni
A Japanese town on the northern Izu Peninsula where forested hills rise directly from a broad residential valley, offering elevated viewpoints across layered…
Sukumo
This compact Japanese port town where forested ridgelines meet a deeply indented bay, with small islands dotting the inlet and the town's low-rise streets ru…
Wakayama
This Japanese castle complex with dark-tiled rooftops and autumn foliage commands elevated views over this coastal Kansai city, where a broad bay and arched…
Shimabara
Waterfront town in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu, with a compact centre holding a concentration of historic churches and a café and restaurant scene within eas…
Sengokuhara
Low-rise town spread across a broad upland valley in Hakone, Japan, with densely forested volcanic peaks rising on all sides, a caldera lake visible in the d…
Yawatahama
A port town on the western tip of Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku, Yawatahama has long been a trading hub — once nicknamed "the Osaka of Iyo" for its sea commerc…
Suzaka
Suzaka, a city in northern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, is known as a town of traditional storehouses — the clay-walled merchant buildings and earthen-floored k…
Kurashiki
Kurashiki's historic canal district — lined with white-walled merchant storehouses dating to the Edo period — is one of the most photographed streetscapes in…
Aizuwakamatsu
Aizuwakamatsu, the main city of the Aizu region in Fukushima Prefecture, carries a warrior history stretching back a thousand years, most vividly associated…
Nobeoka
A coastal city in northern Miyazaki Prefecture, Nobeoka sits where rivers meet the sea with mountain terrain close by.
Numazu
Coastal city in Shizuoka Prefecture where a working harbour and bay views sit directly beneath the snow-capped volcanic peak visible on the horizon, with a w…
Beppu
Beppu, on the eastern coast of Kyushu's Ōita Prefecture, is one of Japan's three great hot spring cities, known above all for the Hells of Beppu — a collecti…
Seto
This Japanese city in Aichi Prefecture where a dark-roofed temple building sits amid blazing red and gold autumn maples on wooded hillside grounds, drawing v…
Kuwana
This Japanese city in Mie Prefecture where a broad river meets the bay, offering elevated viewpoints over patchwork rice fields, winding waterways, and a low…
Tsumago
Restored to its Edo-period appearance as the forty-second post town on the Nakasendō highway between Tokyo and Kyoto, Tsumago is a modest hamlet in Nagano Pr…
Takahashi
Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, a rare surviving mountain castle in Okayama Prefecture, overlooks this compact city in the mountains of western Japan.
Kakogawa
Sizeable Hyōgo city on the water, where a grand wooden Buddhist hall with sweeping tiled roofs and stone lanterns anchors a temple precinct shaded by mature…
Shiroishi
At the foot of the Zao mountain range in southern Miyagi Prefecture, Shiroishi is a Japanese castle town that flourished during the Edo period around Shirois…
Uji
Uji, a city on the southern edge of Kyoto in Japan, is known for its high-quality tea production and two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Byōdō-in Buddhist t…
Kakegawa
A white multi-tiered castle keep crowns a green hillside above stone steps in this western Shizuoka city, which pairs that striking landmark with a walkable…
Kisarazu
This port city on the southwestern coast of Chiba Prefecture, Kisarazu has functioned as a harbour town since ancient times and retains a designated priority…
Omihachiman
On the eastern shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, Omihachiman is a Japanese city known for its merchant heritage — the Omi merchants were among feudal J…
Kainan
A coastal town in northern Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, known as a production centre for Kishū lacquerware, with the wider region ringed by UNESCO World Herit…
Tabayama
A pocket-sized mountain village in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, Tabayama sits within the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park and is also registered as part of th…
Hachiōji-shi
Autumn-foliage hillsides frame sweeping views over this large western Tokyo city, where forested upland trails give way to a dense urban centre with a lively…
Zamami
A tiny island village in Okinawa's Kerama Islands, Zamami sits on the water with mountain terrain rising behind it and an unusually dense café and restaurant…
Nagahama
This walkable street of dark-timber merchant buildings and café-lined arcades draws visitors through Nagahama's historic core, a lakeside city in Shiga Prefe…
Kawagoe
Known locally as "Little Edo" for its concentration of historic buildings that recall the old name for Tokyo, Kawagoe is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Takaoka
Takaoka, a city in northwestern Toyama Prefecture, developed as a castle town under Maeda Toshinaga in the early Edo period and later grew into a commercial…
Sakaiminato
Birthplace of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki, Sakaiminato is a port town in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, where bronze statues of characters from his celebrated se…
Hadano
A Japanese city in Kanagawa's upland country where forested ridgelines give way to sweeping views over a broad valley basin and a glittering bay beyond, with…
Matsue
Matsue Castle, one of the last surviving feudal castles from the Tokugawa era, anchors this lakeside city in Shimane Prefecture on Japan's Honshu island.
Kotohira
Kotohira-gū, the Shinto shrine known informally as Konpira-san, draws visitors to this pocket-sized town in Kagawa Prefecture via a staircase of 1,368 steps…
Tatsunocho-tominaga
This Japanese coastal town in Hyōgo Prefecture where a historic white-walled castle compound meets a working marina, wooded hillsides blazing with autumn col…
Niimi
A compact Japanese town spread along a river valley between forested hills, with cherry blossoms framing elevated views over the low-rise centre and a walkab…
Hirosaki
Japan's largest apple-producing city, Hirosaki is a former castle town in western Aomori Prefecture whose centre holds a walkable concentration of Meiji-era…
Kariya
Coastal town in Hyōgo Prefecture where a historic castle tower rises above a moat, traditional festival processions fill the streets, and the calm Seto Inlan…
Miki
A city in Hyōgo Prefecture northwest of Kobe, Miki draws visitors with lively shrine festivals where crowds in matching happi coats carry ornate mikoshi up s…
Ikeda
Compact Japanese city on Osaka's northern edge where a traditional garden with autumn foliage and a pond sits beneath forested hills, and elevated viewpoints…
Mihara
This red multi-tiered pagoda rises above a hillside cemetery with vivid autumn ginkgo trees, overlooking a compact coastal city backed by forested mountains…
Negoro
Negoro-ji, the head temple of the Shingi Shingon sect of Buddhism, sits within the Katsuragi Mountains in Iwade, Wakayama Prefecture, with grounds designated…
Ozu
A hilltop viewpoint above this Ehime town rewards visitors with a sweeping panorama of low-rise rooftops, a bridged river curving through the valley floor, a…
Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land
A UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed in 2011, Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture preserves five groupings of temples, gardens, and archaeological remains from t…
Mizunami
Mizunami, a town in Gifu Prefecture in central Japan, is known for Mino ware ceramics, its post-town history along the old Nakasendo highway, and fossil disc…
Mishima
A mid-size Japanese city spread across a broad river plain, viewed from surrounding hills, with a lively dining scene, easy access to upland country, and UNE…
Kiyosu
Kiyosu, a town in Aichi Prefecture, was the base and castle town of the warlord Oda Nobunaga during Japan's Sengoku period, and served as the political centr…
Iwade
A Japanese town in Wakayama Prefecture where a striking multi-tiered pagoda and traditional timber hall set against forested hills signal the region's deep B…
Takamatsu
This densely built Japanese city spreading to the shore of an island-dotted inland sea, Takamatsu rewards visitors with a lively dining scene, nearby viewpoi…
Onomichi
A quiet port city on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, Onomichi is known for its concentration of temples, a walkable hillside centre with cafés a…
Niigata
Japan's largest city on the Sea of Japan coast, Niigata sits directly on the water with views toward Sado Island and the mountains beyond.
Tahara
This Pacific-facing city in Aichi Prefecture occupies most of the Atsumi Peninsula, with water on multiple sides and mountain views inland.
Hikone
A traditional Japanese pond garden with autumn maples, a timber pavilion at the water's edge, and a white castle keep crowning the wooded hill above make thi…
Tsuruoka
In 2014, Tsuruoka became the first city in Japan to receive UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation, a distinction rooted in food traditions that incl…
Kasaoka
A coastal city in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, Kasaoka is best known as a gateway to the Kasaoka Islands archipelago in the Seto Inland Sea — a group of more t…
Kurume
A sprawling Japanese city spread across a flat plain in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kurume offers a lively eating and drinking scene, a riverside setting, and easy a…
Ibara
A compact Japanese town in Okayama Prefecture where a winding river lined with cherry blossom trees curves around low-rise rooftops, all set within a bowl of…
Kusatsu
One of Japan's most famous hot-spring resorts, Kusatsu is a tiny town in Gunma Prefecture's northwest, drawing visitors to its thermal baths and a café and r…
Tottori
This grassy hilltop with ancient stone castle walls offers sweeping views over Tottori's low-rise cityscape, backed by forested hills, while the city itself…
Toyama
Coastal city on the Sea of Japan in central Honshū, Toyama offers mountain views inland and a dense café and restaurant scene, with UNESCO World Heritage sit…
Uwajima
Coastal castle town in southern Ehime Prefecture known for its bullfighting tradition, Uwajima developed around Uwajima Castle and remains the main city of t…
Inazawa
A mid-sized Aichi Prefecture city in Japan's Nobi Plain, where a well-preserved Shinto shrine complex — featuring a thatched-roof hall, stone guardian lions,…
Kabira
White-sand bay on Ishigaki Island draws glass-bottom boat tours across vivid turquoise shallows, with densely forested islets, mountain views beyond, and a c…
Kesennuma
A port town on the Sanriku Coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Kesennuma is home to Japan's only shark museum, where visitors can try shark fin burgers alongside oth…
Yawata
Yawata, a city in southern Kyoto Prefecture, is home to Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū, a major Shinto shrine that draws visitors to its hilltop setting above the city.
Yonezawa
Yonezawa beef, carp, and locally grown apples have made this castle city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, a destination for food-focused visitors.
Ōgaki-shi
Ōgaki, a city in Gifu Prefecture in central Japan, was the final destination of the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō on the journey recounted in his celebrated travel…
Shikokuchuo
Japan's leading producer of paper and paper products, Shikokuchuo is a port city in Ehime Prefecture on the eastern edge of Shikoku island, where it borders…
Hatsukaichi
Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima Prefecture, is considered the birthplace of kendama, the traditional Japanese cup-and-ball toy, and holds within its boundaries Its…
Sendai
Satsumasendai, in Kagoshima Prefecture on Japan's Kyushu island, sits along the coast and incorporates the Koshikijima Islands, a chain with a history as a h…
Kuji
Compact Japanese coastal town where forested hills meet the Pacific, with a river threading through low-rise urban farmland to a working harbour and sandy ba…
Fujieda
This mid-size Japanese city in Shizuoka Prefecture, with a low-rise residential spread giving way to a compact downtown of multi-storey buildings, all set ag…
Sasebo
Huis ten Bosch, a large Dutch-themed amusement park, anchors this waterfront city in Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu — Japan's second city in the…
Fuji
Sitting at the southern foot of Mount Fuji with its city limits stretching from Suruga Bay to just below the mountain's summit, this mid-sized Shizuoka city…
Shibata
A Japanese castle rising above a wide moat, a lush traditional garden viewed from a wooden corridor, dark-timbered merchant streetscapes, and a bowl of local…
Ōita-shi
This city on the water in Kyushu with a notably dense café and restaurant scene, Ōita is the prefectural capital of Ōita Prefecture, with mountains close by…
Hirado
This historic port town in Nagasaki Prefecture, Hirado served as one of Japan's primary gateways for European trade during the 16th and 17th centuries, blend…
Inuyama
Inuyama, a town in Aichi Prefecture north of Nagoya, is anchored by Inuyama Castle, a feudal-era fortress that gave the surrounding castle town its identity…
Ōshū-shi
Ōshū, a city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, is known for its Maesawa Beef, a regional wagyu brand, and for Fujiwara no Sato, a theme park and film lot built aro…
Akashi
This Japanese castle tower rises above a canopy of green trees in this waterfront city on the Akashi Strait, with a lively dining scene and easy access to UN…
Takasaki
Takasaki, the largest city in Gunma Prefecture on Japan's main island of Honshu, is best known as the home of the Daruma doll — a round, weighted figure repr…
Soma
This coastal city in Fukushima Prefecture known for Matsukawa-ura lagoon and the Soma Nomaoi, a centuries-old wild horse festival held annually in the area.
Morioka
This city in northern Japan's Tōhoku region with a dense café and restaurant scene, Morioka serves as the capital of Iwate Prefecture and sits at the water w…
Niihama
Niihama is a coastal industrial city on the Seto Inland Sea in eastern Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, known for the historic Besshi copper mine…
Higashiōmi-shi
A hilltop viewpoint above Higashiōmi reveals a broad patchwork of flooded rice paddies and low-rise residential clusters spreading across Shiga Prefecture's…
Maebashi
The capital of Gunma Prefecture in Japan's northern Kantō region, Maebashi sits along the water with mountains visible from the city and carries a self-style…
Fuefuki
Japan's top-producing city for both peaches and grapes, Fuefuki sits in the Kōfu Basin of Yamanashi Prefecture, where fruit orchards cover the valley floor a…
Sekigahara
The Battle of Sekigahara, fought here in 1600, ended Japan's Sengoku Period and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, making this tiny town in Gifu Prefecture…
Yabu
This traditional wooden Shinto shrine with paper ema votive plaques and stone statuary stands among tall cedar trees in this rural Hyōgo town, set amid hill…
Iwakuni
Kintai-kyo, a five-arched wooden bridge first built in 1673, is the centrepiece of this castle town in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan.
Hōfu-shi
Mid-size Japanese city on the Seto Inland Sea, where dense grey-tile rooftops spread toward a low commercial centre backed by green wooded hills, with coasta…
Sakurai
Ringed by some of Japan's oldest and most venerated shrines and temples, Sakurai is a town in Nara Prefecture with deep roots in ancient Japanese history.
Roppongi
Roppongi, a district in central Tokyo's Minato ward, is best known for its nightlife scene — much of it oriented toward foreign visitors — and for the Roppon…
Shirakawa-machi
A compact Japanese town in Fukushima's southern corridor, where a dense low-rise urban core gives way to patchwork farmland and forested upland country, with…
Hanno
This city in Saitama Prefecture, western Tokyo's commuter belt, home to Metsa, a theme park built around the Moomin characters.
Tochigi
Tochigi city in Japan's northern Kantō region is known for its well-preserved streetscape of kura — traditional Japanese storehouses — that survived World Wa…
Nakatsugawa
This mid-size Japanese city in Gifu's forested uplands, where low-rise urban streets spread across a broad river valley ringed by densely wooded hills, offer…
Katori-shi
Katori, in Chiba Prefecture, is home to Katori Shrine and the historic merchant town of Sawara, whose canal-lined streets are designated a Preservation Distr…
Hanamaki
Hanamaki, in Iwate Prefecture, is the birthplace of novelist and poet Kenji Miyazawa and the origin of wanko soba, Iwate's signature dish of repeatedly refil…
Miyakonojō
A sprawling Japanese city spread across a broad plain backed by distant mountains, Miyakonojō offers an authentic regional urban experience in southern Miyaz…
Sakaidecho
Sakaide, in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, sits on the Seto Inland Sea at the point where the Seto Ohashi Bridge meets the four Shikoku shore —…
Kozushima
This tiny island village in the Izu Islands, administered as part of Tokyo, Kozushima is well known among fishing enthusiasts, anglers, and divers, with the…
Ōmuta-shi
This waterfront city on Kyūshū's coast, Ōmuta draws visitors with dramatic festival culture — as seen in this image of costumed performers atop a decorated f…
Usuki
Usuki's Stone Buddhas, designated a National Treasure, are among the most significant rock-carved Buddhist images in Japan, drawing visitors to this coastal…
Kirishima
Kirishima, in Kagoshima Prefecture on Japan's Kyushu island, is a city known for the Kirishima mountain range — listed among Japan's hundred celebrated peaks…
Komatsushimacho
This working Japanese port town on the Kii Strait, where fishing boats line a calm river channel and low-rise buildings give way to forested hills rising in…
Sakata
Lively Japanese port city on the Sea of Japan, Sakata draws visitors with its waterfront setting, surrounding hills, a thriving food scene, and street festiv…
Nishiwaki
Nishiwaki, in Hyōgo Prefecture, markets itself as "The Navel of Japan" — its Nihon no Heso Park marks the precise crossing of the 135° East meridian and the…
Matsubara
A densely packed Osaka Prefecture city where lively shopping streets buzz with cyclists, colorful signage, and local eateries, making it a rewarding base for…
Himeji
Himeji, a large city in Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture, is home to a World Heritage-listed castle — one of the country's most celebrated feudal fortresses — set ag…
Shizuoka
Coastal Japanese city where a white-walled castle sits above a moat, vivid green tea fields roll across the hillsides, and a snow-capped volcanic peak domina…
Inawashiro
Inawashiro sits on the shore of Lake Inawashiro, Japan's fourth largest lake, where beach resorts, swimming, camping, and boating draw visitors to this compa…
Tateyama
Coastal city on the southern tip of Chiba Prefecture, Tateyama sits along shoreline that forms part of the Minami-Bōsō Quasi-National Park, with scenic views…
Abiko
A Japanese city on the shores of a broad lake, where a long arched bridge reflects in calm water, fireworks festivals light the night sky, and green parkland…
Muroran
A Hokkaido port city where an illuminated suspension bridge arcs over the water at night, a coastal lighthouse crowns a headland, and an industrial waterfron…
Saijō-shi
A city in Ehime Prefecture on the Seto Inland Sea, Saijō sits at the foot of Mount Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan.
Matsuyama
Matsuyama, the largest city on Shikoku island and capital of Ehime Prefecture, pairs a dense café and restaurant scene with a coastal setting and easy access…
Fukuyama
A substantial Japanese city in Hiroshima Prefecture, where a dense urban skyline backed by low hills meets the waterfront, offering city-scale dining and a w…
Toyohashi
This busy Japanese city in Aichi Prefecture where tram lines run down a wide commercial boulevard flanked by multi-storey shopfronts, with mountain silhouett…
Toyokawa
Toyokawa Inari, one of Japan's most visited fox-deity shrines, draws visitors to this city in eastern Aichi Prefecture.
Izumi
A mid-size Osaka Prefecture city where lively street festivals fill urban roads with crowds carrying ornate golden mikoshi shrines, set against a backdrop of…
Iwaki
Sitting on the Pacific coast of Fukushima Prefecture, Iwaki is a large city with a walkable centre offering a solid range of cafés and restaurants.
Ginowan
A mid-size coastal city on Okinawa's main island, Ginowan offers wide palm-lined boulevards, waterfront views, and easy access to the region's UNESCO World H…
Nishinomiya
Koshien Stadium, home of the Hanshin Tigers and host of Japan's annual high school baseball championship, is the defining landmark of this large Hyōgo Prefec…
Fukutsu
Coastal town in Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukutsu sits between two major cities and draws independent travellers with its waterfront setting, forested upland backd…
Taketomi
A compact Okinawan island where visitors ride water-buffalo-drawn carts along sandy lanes lined with bougainvillea and traditional coral-stone walls, with cy…
Kure
This city on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture with a strong naval and industrial heritage, Kure is home to the second-oldest naval dockyard in Jap…
Shūnan-shi
Mid-sized Japanese city in Yamaguchi Prefecture where a dense urban core of concrete towers and green hillside neighborhoods slopes down to a busy industrial…
Tsuchiura
Sitting on the shore of Lake Kasumigaura — the second largest lake in Japan — Tsuchiura is a city in Ibaraki Prefecture with a walkable centre of cafés and r…
Kameoka
A city in Kyoto Prefecture where visitors can ride a scenic railway through a dramatic river gorge, explore ancient stone castle ruins, and drift downstream…
Tainai
A large ornate timber shrine or temple hall with sweeping curved rooflines and intricate carved eaves anchors this coastal Niigata city, which also sits clos…
Hita
A riverside town in Ōita Prefecture's hill country, Hita draws visitors with elaborately decorated festival floats bearing life-size costumed figures, a walk…
Handa
Handa, a waterfront city on the Chita Peninsula in Aichi, draws visitors with its lively traditional festivals featuring elaborately decorated multi-tiered f…
Hiromine
This hilltop Shinto shrine in Himeji, Hyogo, reached by a broad stone stairway flanked by stone lanterns and manicured pines, with a historic gate and red au…
Imabari
The Shimanami Kaidō, a scenic cycling and driving route linking Imabari to Ōshima, Hakatajima, Ōmishima, and other islands across to Ōnomichi, makes this Ehi…
Izumisano
A Japanese city on Osaka Bay where a large Ferris wheel and high-rise towers define a busy commercial waterfront, with upland country nearby and UNESCO World…
Higashi-Matsuyama
This mid-size Japanese city in Saitama, anchored by a handsome red-brick station building, with a walkable centre of cafés and restaurants and easy rail acce…
Okazaki
Birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unified Japan, Okazaki is a city in Aichi Prefecture whose reconstructed castle stands as the centrepiece of th…
Iwanuma
This pocket-sized city on the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, where the Abukuma River meets the sea, Iwanuma sits at the historic convergence of t…
Izumo
Izumo, in Shimane Prefecture on Japan's San'in coast, is home to Izumo Taisha, one of the country's most venerated Shinto shrines and a major pilgrimage dest…
Meguro City
A canal lined with dense rows of flowering cherry trees draws crowds of strollers each spring through this residential Tokyo ward, which also offers a thrivi…
Higashiōsaka-shi
Known across Japan as "the rugby town," Higashiōsaka is a large city in Osaka Prefecture home to Hanazono Rugby Stadium, one of the country's most celebrated…
Asaka
This densely populated Japanese city in Saitama Prefecture where active Shinto shrines — like the flag-draped example visible here — sit alongside a local ca…
Kumamoto
Kumamoto Castle anchors this large city on Japan's Kyushu island, the prefectural capital known for a dense café and restaurant scene and scenic surroundings…
Ono
A low-rise Japanese town spread across a broad green plain in Hyōgo Prefecture, viewed from elevated ground, with wooded hillsides, a highway viaduct cutting…
Komae
This compact city on the Tama River in western Tokyo is the smallest administrative city in the metropolis by both area and population, with the river and su…
Kadoma
The home city of Panasonic's headquarters, Kadoma is a compact satellite city in Osaka Prefecture, directly adjacent to Osaka and part of its wider urban emp…
Sakai
Sakai, a large city south of Osaka on Osaka Bay, is known for two things that set it apart: its ancient keyhole-shaped burial mounds, called kofun, and its c…
Odawara
Odawara Castle, described in historical sources as "impregnable," anchors this coastal city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on the shores of Sagami Bay.
Nakatsu
White-walled castle tower in this northern Kyushu city offers sweeping views over a low-rise townscape, a bridged river mouth, and the open sea beyond, with…
Katano
This compact Osaka Prefecture city where leafy vegetable fields and low-rise neighbourhoods spread before densely forested green hills, offering easy access…
Utsunomiya
Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture in Japan's northern Kantō region, is best known for gyoza — pan-fried dumplings — with well over two hundred re…
Saga
Saga, the prefectural capital on Kyushu island, is best known each autumn for the Saga International Balloon Festa, a hot-air balloon event held along the Ka…
Chino
A city in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with scenic surrounds that include the Yatsugatake mountains, Shirakaba Lake, the Tateshina highlands, and Kurumayama — m…
Yamagata
Yamagata is a substantial Japanese city in the Tōhoku region where winter transforms the surrounding upland slopes into vast fields of snow-encrusted trees,…
Gamagori
A coastal city on Mikawa Bay in Aichi Prefecture, Gamagori draws visitors with a cluster of hot-spring districts — Nishiura, Mitaya, Katahara, and Gamagori i…
Tsuyama
A mid-size Japanese city in Okayama Prefecture where a large wooded castle hill rises dramatically from the urban grid, bordered by a river and offering walk…
Soja
This tall dark-timber five-storey pagoda rising above clouds of cherry blossom defines this Okayama Prefecture town, which sits close to upland country and c…
Kitamoto
A compact Saitama city where cherry blossom parks, a tranquil pond with willows, and a traditional shrine with classic tiled rooflines reflect the layered ch…
Musashino
This city in western Tokyo whose Kichijōji neighbourhood ranked among the most desirable places to live in central Japan in a 2019 survey, Musashino draws vi…
Towada
Towada, in Aomori Prefecture, is the gateway city for Lake Towada and the Oirase Stream, two of the scenic highlights of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park.
Kanoya
A city on the Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kanoya is informally known as the "Town of Roses" and sits close to both the coast and the mountains o…
Kawachinagano
A mid-size Japanese city in southern Osaka Prefecture, viewed here from wooded hillsides above a dense low-rise townscape, offering easy access to upland cou…
Echigawa
A former post town on the historic Nakasendō highway, Echigawa sits beside a river with surrounding hills, offering a compact centre and easy access to the w…
Amagasaki
Industrial city in Hyōgo Prefecture just west of Osaka, Amagasaki has a café and restaurant scene dense enough to reward a dedicated visit, and sits directly…
Takedamachi
Taketa City in Ōita Prefecture, southwestern Japan, is built around the ruins of Oka Castle, where the Meiji-era composer Takeki Rentarō is said to have conc…
Takarazuka
Takarazuka, in Hyōgo Prefecture, is best known as the home of the Takarazuka Revue, an all-female musical theatre company that has performed since the early…
Noshiro
A coastal city in northern Akita Prefecture facing the Sea of Japan, Noshiro built its prosperity on timber processing — particularly Akita cedar — and was o…
Ichinoseki
This city in Iwate Prefecture's Tōhoku region where broad volcanic rock formations line a clear river corridor through dense summer forest, with UNESCO World…
Okinawa
This busy, sign-lined commercial boulevard runs through this sizable Okinawan city, where a lively street scene, waterside access, and proximity to the prefe…
Inagi
This western Tokyo city along the Tama River where traditional Shinto shrines stand amid suburban greenery, a riverside amusement park adds a lively edge, an…
Ōnojō-shi
A mid-size Japanese city in Fukuoka Prefecture where a calm river with grassy banks winds through a low-rise urban landscape, with a backdrop of distant moun…
Fujioka
Compact Japanese town in Gunma Prefecture, Fujioka sits close to upland country and offers a walkable centre with cafés and restaurants, making it a practica…
Yanagawa
Pole-guided wooden boats drift along narrow canals flanked by white-walled buildings and lush greenery in this Fukuoka town, where waterway cruising is the d…
Arida
Arida, a coastal town in Wakayama Prefecture, is the origin of both the Arida mandarin orange and the mosquito coil — two products that spread from here acro…
Tomioka
Tomioka, in Gunma Prefecture, is home to the Tomioka Silk Mill, Japan's first full-scale mechanised silk-reeling factory, built in the early Meiji era and in…
Kashiwa
Known locally as "Little Shibuya," Kashiwa is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, with a notably dense café, restaurant, and shopping scene concentrated aroun…
Kitakami
Kitakami, in Iwate Prefecture, is an industrial city in the Tohoku region known for the cherry blossoms that bloom each spring in Tenshochi Park.
Ashikaga
Ashikaga, a city in Tochigi Prefecture on Japan's Honshu island, is home to the Ashikaga Gakko — a school that the 16th-century Jesuit missionary Francis Xav…
Tsushima
This working island town in the Tsushima Strait, where fishing vessels and cargo ships crowd a compact harbour backed by steep, forested hills, offering visi…
Urasoe
This coastal city in Okinawa Prefecture that served as an ancient capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Urasoe sits between Naha to the south and Ginowan to the nor…
Shiki
This compact Saitama city along the water's edge, where a massively gnarled, centuries-old cherry tree in bloom — propped by support poles and fenced for pro…
Kurayoshi
Kurayoshi, in central Tottori Prefecture, is known across the region for its white-walled earthen storehouses — the style is so embedded in local identity th…
Takaishi
A compact waterfront city in Osaka Prefecture, Takaishi offers an active marina scene with pleasure boats and industrial cranes lining the bay, backed by mid…
Kyotanabe
A southern Kyoto Prefecture city where a striking red-arch bridge, traditional temple gates, and a leafy university campus reflect a blend of heritage and ev…
Tama
This mid-size Japanese city on the western edge of Tokyo's metropolis, where a broad river winds through grassy banks beside a low-rise and high-rise skyline…
Nagareyama
Densely populated city in Chiba Prefecture beside the water, Nagareyama pairs a lively central café and restaurant scene with manicured civic spaces — as see…
Iizuka
This mid-size Japanese city in Fukuoka Prefecture where two rivers meet on a broad grassy floodplain, backed by low mountain ridges, and well-placed for expl…
Sagae
This mid-sized Japanese city in Yamagata Prefecture, Sagae pairs a lively central food-and-drink scene with easy access to upland countryside, as seen in its…
Maibara
A compact Shiga Prefecture town where bullet trains streak past snow-dusted mountains, sitting close to Lake Biwa's northern shore with easy access to the wi…
Kamiitabashi
A traditional wooden distance marker stands at a small bridge in this dense Tokyo ward, where a walkable street lined with shops and greenery stretches into…
Fujisawa
This sizeable Japanese city on the Shonan coast, Fujisawa pairs a lively central café and dining scene with easy access to the waterfront, upland countryside…
Akita
Modern, glass-fronted civic plaza anchors this mid-sized Japanese prefectural capital on the Sea of Japan coast, where upland scenery, a lively dining scene,…
Narashino
Busy JR station hub in Chiba Prefecture anchors this compact Japanese city, where a walkable centre packed with cafés and restaurants rewards visitors explor…
Takasago
A coastal city in Hyōgo Prefecture with a long history, Takasago is known for its concentration of shrines in the southern part of the city and the autumn fe…
Warabi
Warabi, in Saitama Prefecture just north of Tokyo, holds a striking distinction: it is the smallest city by area in Japan and has the highest population dens…
Ōdate
This northern Akita city with a walkable food-and-drink scene, upland country close by, and a sleek civic centre fronting open plazas, making it a practical…
Kishiwada
Kishiwada, a city in Osaka Prefecture, is best known for its Danjiri Matsuri, a festival rooted in the city's history as a castle town.
Uruma
Okinawan city spread across the Katsuren Peninsula and eight offshore islands, Uruma is connected to those islands by the Mid-Sea Road, a causeway crossing o…
Kashihara
Kashihara, in Nara Prefecture, is considered in both mythology and historical scholarship to be the founding ground of Japan — the site where, according to t…
Mito
Gravel path winds through a vast plum orchard in full bloom — white and pink blossoms canopying crowds of visitors under a clear blue sky — making this Ibara…
Nanjo
Coastal city on the southern tip of Okinawa Island, Nanjo sits where the land meets the sea and is scattered with ancient castle ruins — known locally as gus…
Higashihiroshima
Sake brewing defines Higashihiroshima's Saijo district, which ranks among Japan's most recognized sake-producing areas and is home to many breweries.
Shinshiro
A low-rise Japanese town in Aichi Prefecture's forested upland country, where a modern civic centre with distinctive wooden barrel features anchors a spread-…
Dazaifu
Dazaifu Tenman-gū shrine draws millions of visitors each year to this town in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwest Japan, which flourished as the seat of ancient Ky…
Agematsu
This pocket-sized town in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, sits along the Kiso River, with the Kiso Komagatake peak of the Central Alps rising at its eastern edge.
Ashiya
Ashiya is a compact, upscale residential city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, with a notably dense café and restaurant scene for its size.
Oyama
This mid-size city in Tochigi Prefecture where early-spring blossom walks draw visitors to park paths lined with flowering trees hung with pink paper lantern…
Ibaraki
Well-connected suburban city between Osaka and Kyoto, Ibaraki offers a lively dining scene, easy rail access to both historic capitals, and proximity to the…
Nasushiobara
A mid-size Japanese city in Tochigi Prefecture, Nasushiobara offers a lively dining scene, easy access to upland country, and proximity to the wider Nikkō UN…
Kōriyama
This commercial hub in Fukushima Prefecture with a dense café and restaurant scene in the centre, Kōriyama is the largest city in the prefecture by populatio…
Itami
Busy mid-rise Japanese city street lined with retail signage, local restaurants, and familiar chain brands gives Itami a lively urban energy, well-placed bet…
Toyota
Toyota, a city in Aichi Prefecture formerly known as Koromo, is defined by its identity as a company town built around Toyota Motor Corporation, one of the w…
Daitō-shi
This densely built Osaka Prefecture city where a forested hillside viewpoint opens onto sweeping panoramas across a vast urban plain, with upland trails and…
Yatomi
This Aichi Prefecture town in western Japan is one of the country's foremost producers of goldfish, a tradition that sets it apart from the surrounding lowla…
Tsurugashima
This town in western Saitama Prefecture, Japan, sits at a major road junction where two expressways meet and has preserved several traditional folk performin…
Hirakata
This city on the eastern edge of Osaka Prefecture, close to the border with Kyoto, Hirakata sits along the water with mountains nearby and the wider region r…
Chōfu
Chōfu, on the western edge of Tokyo Metropolis, is known for the ancient temple Jindai-ji and its long-established soba noodles, a tradition recorded in Edo-…
Suita
Suita, a city in Osaka Prefecture, is known as the site of Japan's 1970 World Exposition, whose grounds are now Expo Commemoration Park — home to Taro Okamot…
Kamagaya
Densely populated city in Chiba Prefecture, Kamagaya is home to a weathered bronze Buddha seated on a stone plinth amid a traditional cemetery, offering visi…
Kakuda
This Japanese town in southern Miyagi Prefecture, Kakuda features a distinctive civic building with a barrel-vaulted glass facade, set among low-rise streets…
Kusatsu
A city on the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake, this Kusatsu in Shiga Prefecture is often confused with the famous hot spring resort of t…
Hiji
A compact Japanese town in Ōita Prefecture where low-rise civic buildings meet a coastal setting, with surrounding hills offering a gentle backdrop to everyd…
Shin-maizuru
A port city on Maizuru Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture, Shin-maizuru sits where the bay meets the Sea of Japan.
Tagajo-shi
A compact Japanese city in Miyagi Prefecture, Tagajo sits close to the coast and takes its name from an ancient provincial capital, offering a dense local fo…
Yamaga
Yamaga, a town in northern Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, is known for its hot springs, the Yamaga Lantern Festival, and as the leading chestnut-producing area…
Kaminoyama
This Japanese town in Yamagata Prefecture, close to upland country, where a compact civic centre with manicured gardens and a walkable food scene makes it a…
Kitanagoya
A compact Japanese city in Aichi Prefecture, Kitanagoya sits just north of Nagoya with quick rail access to the metropolis, a dense local dining scene, and a…
Takahama
Takahama, a town in Aichi Prefecture's Mikawa region, is the main production centre for Sanshu roof tiles, counted among Japan's three great tile traditions.
Nishio
Japan's leading producer of matcha, Nishio is a city in Aichi Prefecture known for its powdered green tea — marketed as Nishio-cha — and sometimes called the…
Yurihonjo
A mid-size city on Akita Prefecture's coast, Yurihonjo pairs a lively dining scene with easy access to upland country, its civic center's bold mid-century ar…
Fukuchiyama
A mid-sized city in northern Kyoto Prefecture where a concrete civic core gives way to riverside scenery, upland countryside, and a lively dining scene worth…
Kasai
This quiet Japanese town in Hyōgo Prefecture where traditional tiled-roof houses line gently rolling streets, with historic churches nearby and the wider reg…
Kanzakimachi-kanzaki
A mid-sized Japanese town in Saga Prefecture, close to water and upland country, with a tidy civic character and convenient access to the wider region's UNES…
Kokubunji
This compact city in western Tokyo's Tama area, Kokubunji rewards visitors with a lively, walkable café and restaurant scene around its station, set against…
Gojo
A compact Japanese town in southern Nara Prefecture, Gojo sits close to upland country and serves as a regional centre, with a low-rise civic streetscape and…
Marugame
Marugame, in Kagawa Prefecture on Japan's Shikoku island, is defined by two things: its castle, which stands at the city's centre as its enduring landmark, a…
Sakura
Sakura, a city in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo, has a castle-town streetscape recognised as a Japanese Heritage site, and the wider region holds UNESCO Wor…
Isehara
A mid-sized Japanese city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Isehara sits close to upland country and offers a compact urban centre with local dining, making it a pract…
Shinjo
This compact Japanese city in Yamagata Prefecture's Mogami region, where tree-lined civic streets give way to surrounding hills, offering a low-key base for…
Toyonaka
A dense Osaka Prefecture suburb with a lively central café and restaurant scene, Toyonaka sits within easy reach of the wider Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe region's many…
Date
This compact Japanese town on Hokkaido's southern coast, Date pairs a walkable centre with cafés, restaurants, and a notable concentration of historic church…
Hakusan
This Japanese city in Ishikawa Prefecture fronted by bold contemporary civic architecture, with surrounding hills, coastal access, and proximity to UNESCO-re…
Sanda
A compact Japanese city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Sanda shows a snow-dusted urban centre with mid-rise hotels and shopping districts, sitting close to upland coun…
Fujimi
This compact Japanese city in Saitama Prefecture, Fujimi offers a lively central dining and café scene, tree-lined civic spaces like the open plaza visible h…
Uto
Coastal and mountain-edged city in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Uto has served as a strategic transit point since the medieval period, when r…
Takatsuki
A mid-size Japanese city in Osaka Prefecture where tall residential towers rise above a busy rail station plaza, offering easy access to upland country and t…
Koga
A mid-size Japanese city in Ibaraki Prefecture, Koga sits along the water in the Kanto plain, offering a compact urban base with local amenities and easy acc…
Higashine
Higashine, in Yamagata Prefecture, is Japan's leading producer of cherries by volume among all municipalities, and also produces more wheat gluten (fu) than…
Chigasaki
A coastal city on Kanagawa's Shonan shore, Chigasaki pairs a lively walkable centre of cafés and restaurants with easy access to upland country and the wider…
Goshogawara
Northern Japanese town on the Tsugaru Peninsula where towering illuminated festival floats — their paper panels blazing with warrior figures and bold pattern…
Atsugi
This mid-size Japanese city in Kanagawa Prefecture with a lively dining scene, a riverside setting, and easy access to the upland country and World Heritage…
Ichikawa
This densely populated Japanese city on the edge of Tokyo's metropolitan sprawl, Ichikawa sits along the waterfront with a lively central dining scene and ea…
Amakusa
Coastal city spread across the Amakusa islands of Kumamoto Prefecture, where waterfront scenery meets upland terrain and the wider region holds UNESCO World…
Yao
Yao, a city in Osaka Prefecture, is the birthplace of Kawachi ondo, a style of Japanese folk singing that also features in the city's Bon dance traditions.
Hiratsuka
Mid-sized Japanese city on Kanagawa's Shonan coast, Hiratsuka pairs a lively café and restaurant scene with bold Brutalist civic architecture and easy access…
Kizugawa
City in southern Kyoto Prefecture served by a distinctively curved modern JR station, Kizugawa sits along the Kizu River with upland country close by and UNE…
Yamagata
A pocket-sized Japanese city in Gifu Prefecture's upland interior, where a large civic complex with vending machines out front hints at a self-contained comm…
Fujiidera
Compact Osaka Prefecture city whose walkable centre offers a solid food-and-drink scene, with heritage sites and upland country within easy reach of its low-…
Nishishinagawa
This dense corridor of glass-and-concrete towers lines this waterfront district of Tokyo, where a lively café and restaurant scene, scattered churches, and e…
Ina
A town in Nagano Prefecture's Ina Valley with a walkable centre of cafés and restaurants, set along the water with the mountains close by.
Tatebayashi
A city in Gunma Prefecture known for Azalea Hill Park and Morin-ji temple, home to the Bunbuku Chagama — a Japanese folkloric tale of a tanuki that transform…
Kimitsu
This mid-size Japanese industrial city on Tokyo Bay, where a sprawling steelworks dominates the hazy skyline above low-rise residential streets, with wooded…
Osaki
A mid-sized Japanese city in Miyagi Prefecture, Ōsaki sits amid hill-fringed countryside and serves as a practical base for exploring a wider region that inc…
Ritto
Ritto, in Shiga Prefecture, is best known among Japanese horse racing fans as the home of one of the Japan Racing Association's two national training centres…
Neyagawa
This densely populated Osaka Prefecture city where busy commercial strips, local restaurants, and everyday Japanese urban life unfold against a backdrop of u…
Muko
A compact Japanese city in Kyoto Prefecture, Muko sits close to upland country and within easy reach of the wider region's UNESCO World Heritage sites, with…
Gyoda
Gyoda, a city in northern Saitama Prefecture, is known across Japan as a historic centre of tabi sock production — a tradition recognised under Japan's Herit…
Ome
Mid-size Japanese city on Tokyo's western edge where a modern civic centre gives way to upland river country, offering a practical base for exploring the for…
Yonago
A commercial city on the western edge of Tottori Prefecture, Yonago sits between the Sea of Japan, the inland sea of Nakaumi, and the slopes of Mount Daisen…
Ayase
A mid-sized Japanese city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Ayase offers open public spaces and low-rise civic architecture, sitting close to upland country and within…
Ebina
A mid-size Japanese city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Ebina offers a dense urban centre with a solid café and dining scene, easy access to upland countryside, and…
Koganei
Compact city in western Tokyo's Tama area, Koganei offers a dense café and dining scene alongside tree-lined streets, with easy access to the broader Tokyo r…
Hachinohe
A port city on the Pacific coast of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, Hachinohe sits on the Tohoku Shinkansen line and serves as a ferry departure point f…
Hino
A mid-sized city in Tokyo's western Tama region, Hino sits close to upland country and within reach of a UNESCO World Heritage area, with a lively central di…
Kunitachi
A compact city on the western edge of Tokyo Metropolis with a walkable centre known for its café and restaurant scene, Kunitachi grew from a planned resident…
Sasayama
A Japanese castle town set among hills, Sasayama rewards visitors with a walkable historic centre packed with cafés, restaurants, and traditional architectur…
Saikazaki
A compact Japanese coastal spot with a tiny café and dining scene, set right at the water's edge with upland country nearby and UNESCO World Heritage sites s…
No matches in that radius. Try a larger distance, or see all of Japan.