Japan is a wonderful Asian country with prosperous, yet mystic cities that call you to them. A visit to the major cities of Japan will yield untold treasures and memories that you can take home with you. They say when you visit Japan, you will long to go back because there is just so much to see and so many thing to experience.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a symbol of world peace. This was the first city to experience an atomic bomb, and has become the face of the anguish and terror of the effects of an atomic bomb. To commemorate this historical moment, a Genbaku Dome has been built to serve as a reminder of the horrors of war.
Nearby the Genbaku Dome is a Peace Memorial Park which in 1996 has been recognized as one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites. This shrine, Itsuku-shima-jinja is believed to be one of the most astonishing sites in the country. It stands out with the amazing Grand Torii gate that rises from the sea.
Other places to see in Hiroshima are the Shukkei-en Garden and the Mitaki-dera Temple.
Kyoto
This used to be the capital of Japan and was the center of all political, economical, and cultural events for over 1000 years. Here in Kyoto, you can visit many shrines and temples like the Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the Nijo Castle, also World Heritage Sites.
The culture in Kyoto is rich with intricate Japanese architecture, and the delicate Japanese dances. There are 3 main summer festivals held in Kyoto which are the Gion-matsuri, the Aoi-matsuri, and the Jidai-matsuri festivals. All throughout the city, hundreds of torches to form a figure or a letter are lit along the five mountains around Kyoto, creating a spectacular and fabulous sight.
Nagasaki
This is the 3rd largest island in Japan and has 5 peninsulas and 971 islands. Nagasaki is an important port of entry ever since the 16th century when it started trading with Holland and Portugal.
Some of the must see places in Nagasaki are the Fugen-dake which is the peak of Unzen-dake volcano; Huis Ten Bosch, which is a replica of a 17th century medieval town; Peace Park which commemorates the atomic bomb catastrophe; and the O-ura Tenshu-do which is Japan’s oldest wooden Christian church.
Nara
If you have heard about the beautiful cherry blossoms of Japan, then looking at it will fascinate you even more. At Mount Yoshino-yama, you can see the most wondrous cherry blossom trees in all of Japan.
Nara is well known for its traditional Japanese architecture and temples. Many of the temples were constructed under the guidance of the imperial family. These are the Todai-ji Temple which houses the largest wooden Buddha in the world, Yakushi Temple, Horyu-ji Temple, and the Toshodai-ji Temple.
Osaka
This is the smallest prefecture in Japan as far as land area is concerned, however it has a incredibly high population density which comes second to Tokyo. You must take time to visit the Osaka Castle with has a 5 layer donjon and covers around 60,000 square meters. It has an underground mall with restaurants and fashion stores.
Minami is another part that is known for being a business district although there are many shopping stores here as well. It is considered to be the entertainment hub of Osaka with its numerous theaters.
Osaka has also developed a waterfront with the main attraction being the Tenpo-zan Harbor Village. This tourist spot has a 112 meter high Ferris Wheel, a Suntory Museum, shopping mall, and several venues for cultural events.
