Things to Do in Japan

Out in the modern entertainment district of Odaiba you'll find Tokyo's largest artificial hot spring complex. Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari is an Edo-era onsen theme park.

What the spa lacks in authenticity if makes up for in scope: there are six different types of baths with different temperatures and textures including a lukewarm “Summer Bath,” foot baths and even a special bath for dogs (the Tsunayoshi Bath Tub)! The water is drawn from 1400 meters below ground and is rich in sodium and chlorine ions that refresh and relieve muscle pains. All of the baths are separated by gender.

When you grow tired of soaking you can spend hours exploring the park and it's many places to drink and dine, shop and have your fortune told. The complex is open 24 hours and there is a hotel on site.

While many of Kyoto’s temples provide insight into ancient Japanese Buddhist history, few showcase contemporary movements. That’s what makes Nishi Hongan-ji unique. Built in the late 16th-century, the temple remains today an important landmark for modern Japanese Buddhism. Located in the center of Kyoto, the large temple and its sibling-temple, Higashi Hongan-ji, represent two factions of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism.

The three main attractions on the temple grounds include Goeido Hall, Amidado Hall, and the temple gardens. Goeido Hall is dedicated to the sect’s founder, and Amidado Hall to the Amida Buddha – the most important Buddha in Jodo-Shin Buddhism. Cultural treasures, including surviving masterpieces of architecture, are displayed in these main halls. The Temple garden is known as a “dry” garden, utilizing stones, white sand, trees, and plants to symbolize elements of nature such as mountains, rivers, and the ocean.

Work your way through centuries of the past at the Osaka Museum of History, opened in 2003. Located just across from the Osaka Castle, head to the top floor to see great views of the castle.

Exhibits chronicle Osaka's history, beginning in ancient times when Osaka served as Japan's first capital and site of the Naniwa Palace and ending with exhibits on the city's bustling shopping arcades of the early Showa Period.

Designed from top to bottom, visitors start on the 10th floor and work their way down to the 7th, passing through galleries which focus on the Age of the Naniwa Palace, the Age of the Hongan-ji Temple, and the Age of Greater Osaka. Archaeological remains are displayed in the building’s basement.

Take the Highlights Course if you’re short of time, or follow a more leisurely and detailed route with the Complete Course.

Known for its impressive botanical garden, intricate Iemitsu mausoleum, and ornate Toshogu Shrine (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Nikko National Park is an area of incredible natural beauty with plenty to see and do. In addition to shrines and temples, the park is home to numerous lakes, elaborate bridges, excellent hiking trails, and two stunning waterfalls—all set against a backdrop of dramatic mountain scenery.

Located in Tokyo’s popular Shinjuku ward just north of the world’s busiest rail station, you’ll find a small alley called Omoide Yokocho. The historic alley, known locally as Memory Lane or Piss Alley depending on who you ask, is in fact one of Tokyo’s more authentic and atmospheric dining destinations.

Don’t let the negative nickname deter you. Today, it’s a bit of a misnomer anyway. In 1999, the entire alley was destroyed in a fire. It has since been rebuilt in much the same way and with the same old world Postwar Tokyo atmosphere, but with one notable exception. The alley now has bathrooms. The nickname “Piss Alley” harkens back to the days when no such facilities existed.

As you walk down the narrow alley, you’ll see tiny bars and restaurants tightly packed together on either side with the occasional tattered red paper lantern lighting the way. Most of these establishments consist of a small kitchen and a counter with several stools for patrons to sit. You might find one or two tables in the larger ones. Yakitori is the specialty, but you’ll also find stands selling offal stew and grilled organ meats -- both staples of Japanese street food.

Built at the end of the 9th century in the year 888 and founded by the reigning Emperor of the time, Ninna-ji Temple maintained a centuries long reign as a royal place of worship. Members of the Imperial Family served as the temple’s head priest, bringing prestige that lasts to this day. To further elevate its status, the temple was originally named Monseki-jiin and served as a residence for a member of the Imperial Family who had entered priesthood.

Today, Ninna-ji is the center of the Omuro sect of Shingon Buddhism and houses buildings from the former Imperial Palace in Kyoto. Among the relocated historical treasures is a five-storied pagoda and Reiho-kan, a structure that houses cultural treasures such as sculptures, paintings, and the seated figure of Amida-Nyorai Buddha, the deity of Paradise. Encompassing the temple buildings is an orchard of dwarf cherry trees, making Ninna-ji one of the most popular spots to see the cherry blossoms in Spring.

One of the largest public aquariums in the world, Osaka Aquarium, also known as Kaiyukan, is home to various species found in the Pacific Rim, most specifically, in the "Ring of Fire."

With 27 of the largest tanks in the world, the aquarium houses 16 main exhibits with the goal of reflecting the sea life's natural habitat. Guests can learn about all of the sea creatures through themed exhibition halls and interactive activities. Only a thin sheet of glass separates visitors from the denizens of the deep, from whale sharks and sand-scuttling spider crabs to jellyfish, otters, seals, dolphins and penguins.