Oshino Hakkai (忍野八海) is a touristy set of eight ponds in Oshino, a small village in the Fuji Five Lake region, located between Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako on the site of a former sixth lake that dried out several hundred years ago. The eight ponds are fed by snow melt from the slopes of nearby Mount Fuji that filters down the mountain through porous layers of lava for over 80 years, resulting in very clear spring water that is revered by the locals. Next to one pond, visitors can drink the cool water straight from the source. The ponds are quite deep and have interesting freshwater plant life and large fish. Although the ponds have been developed into tourist attractions and can become quite crowded with visitors, they have a pleasant atmosphere as long as you do not expect untouched nature. You will find many restaurants, souvenir shops and food vendors around the ponds which sell vegetables, sweets, pickles, crafts and other local products.

The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (富士スバルライン五合目, Fuji Subaru Line Gogōme, also known as Yoshidaguchi 5th Station or Kawaguchiko 5th Station) lies at approximately the halfway point of the Yoshida Trail, which leads from Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine at the mountain's base to the summit of Mount Fuji. It is the most popular of the four 5th stations on Mount Fuji and the best developed and easiest to access by public transport from Tokyo. The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is accessible almost year round, snow conditions permitting, and is a popular sightseeing spot even outside of the climbing season.

Hakone Shrine (箱根神社, Hakone Jinja) stands at the foot of Mount Hakone along the shores of Lake Ashinoko. The shrine buildings are hidden in the dense forest, but are well advertised by its huge torii gates, one standing prominently in the lake and two others over the high street of Moto-Hakone. A path leads from the torii gate in Lake Ashinoko up a series of steps flanked by lanterns through the forest to the main building, which sits peacefully among the tall trees. The shrine is beautiful throughout the year, and is particularly breathtaking when shrouded in mist. A second shrine, Mototsumiya ("original shrine"), stands at the summit of Komagatake, one of Mount Hakone's multiple peaks. It is accessible by the Hakone Komagatake Ropeway from Hakone-en or via hiking trails.

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise’s four pirate ships offer a trip around one of Japan’s prettiest crater lakes, Ashinoko. Your ship will call at the ports of Hakone-Machi, Moto-Hakone and Togendai, covering a large area of pristine Lake Ashinoko. Keep an eye out for the red torii gate of Hakone-jinja Shrine, which appears to float on the water. You will see views of rolling hills around the lake and, of course, the majestic Mount Fuji (3,776 m). All of the boats share a family-friendly pirate theme, but each one boasts distinctive facilities. Look out for photogenic trick art, treasure chests and larger-than-life pirate sculptures on board. Feel free to eat, drink and stock up on souvenirs at any of the three ports, all of which have shops, restaurants and cafes.

Owakudani (大涌谷, Ōwakudani) is the area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. Today, much of the area is an active volcanic zone where sulfurous fumes, hot springs and hot rivers can be experienced. Additionally, Owakudani has good views of Mount Fuji on clear days. Eggs cooked in Owakudani's hot spring pools with their shells blackened by the sulphur are on sale at shops in the area, and eating one is said to prolong one's life by seven years. A short walking trail leads from the ropeway station into the volcanic zone to a number of steam vents and bubbling pools. The walk takes around 30 minutes in total. Admission to the trail requires advance reservations and costs 800 yen.

The almost 100 metre tall Kegon Waterfall (華厳の滝, Kegon no taki) is the most famous of Nikko's waterfalls. It is even ranked as one of Japan's three most beautiful falls, along with Nachi Waterfall in Wakayama Prefecture and Fukuroda Waterfall in Ibaraki Prefecture. Kegon Waterfall is the only exit for the waters of Lake Chuzenji. It can be seen from a free observation platform that is easily accessible on foot, as well as from a paid platform at the base of the falls. The paid platform is accessed via a 100 metre deep lift and offers more impressive views. The sight of the waterfall in combination with Lake Chuzenji can be enjoyed from Akechidaira Observatory, which is accessible by ropeway from Akechidaira Plateau. Kegon Waterfall is also a popular autumn colour spot. The trees around the waterfall are usually most colourful from mid to late October. In the winter the waterfall is impressive as well when it freezes almost completely solid.

Lake Chuzenji (中禅寺湖, Chūzenjiko) is a scenic lake in the mountains above the town of Nikko. It is located at the foot of Mount Nantai, Nikko's sacred volcano, whose eruption blocked the valley below, thereby creating Lake Chuzenji about 20,000 years ago. Chuzenjiko's shores are mostly undeveloped and forested except at the lake's eastern end where the small hot spring town of Chuzenji Onsen was built. The town is also the site of Kegon Waterfall, the most famous of several waterfalls in Nikko National Park. Another popular waterfall, Ryuzu Waterfall, is located at the northern shores of Lake Chuzenji where Yukawa River discharges into the lake.

The Shinkyo Bridge (神橋, Shinkyō, "sacred bridge") stands at the entrance to Nikko's shrines and temples, and belongs to Futarasan Shrine. The bridge is ranked as one of Japan's three finest bridges together with Iwakuni's Kintaikyo and Saruhashi in Yamanashi Prefecture. The current Shinkyo was constructed in 1636, but a bridge of some kind had marked the same spot for much longer, although its exact origins are unclear. Until 1973, Shinkyo was off-limit to the general public. It underwent extensive renovation works in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and visitors can now walk across the bridge and back for an entrance fee.

Tamozawa Imperial Villa (田母沢御用邸, Tamozawa Goyōtei) blends traditional Edo and early modern Meiji Period architecture throughout its 106 rooms. The villa was erected in Nikko in 1899, using parts of a residence that originally stood in Tokyo. Before being moved to Nikko, the building served as the Tokyo residence of a branch of the Tokugawa family and was later temporarily used as the Imperial Palace. In Nikko, it was enlarged into a summer residence for the Imperial Family, but suffered neglect after World War II. In the year 2000, the villa was opened to the public after extensive renovations.

Toshogu Shrine (東照宮, Tōshōgū) is a magnificent memorial to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 17th century. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan, where simplicity has been traditionally stressed in shrine architecture.

Nagano's Zenkoji Temple (善光寺, Zenkōji) is one of the most important and popular temples in Japan. It was founded in the 7th century and stores the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan when Buddhism was first introduced in the 6th century. The original statue is hidden while a copy of it is shown to the public every six years for a few weeks. The next opportunity to see the statue is in 2027. The significance of Zenkoji to the development of Nagano was instrumental: many major Japanese cities have evolved either from castle towns, harbour towns or temple towns. In the case of Nagano, it grew from a temple town which developed around its temple of great importance, Zenkoji.

The Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) offers visitors the unique experience of seeing wild monkeys swimming in a natural hot spring. The park is inhabited by Japanese Macaques, which are also known as Snow Monkeys. It is located in the monkey's natural habitat, in the forests of the Jigokudani valley in Yamanouchi, not far from the onsen towns of Shibu and Yudanaka. The park has one man-made pool around which the monkeys gather, located a few minutes' walk from the park entrance. Visitors may already encounter monkeys along the path to the pool. The monkeys live in large social groups, and it can be quite entertaining to watch their interactions. Accustomed to humans, they can be observed from close and almost completely ignore their human guests. Naturally, it is prohibited to touch or feed the monkeys.

Bessho Onsen (別所温泉) is a small hot spring town just outside of central Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture. During the Kamakura Period (1192-1333), it served as the headquarters of the governor of the Shinshu Region (today's Nagano Prefecture), who built temples and brought Kamakura culture to the mountain town. This made Bessho Onsen into a prosperous centre of education and religion, and in turn earned the town the nickname "Kamakura of Shinshu". Bessho Onsen is the oldest recorded hot spring in the region. Its sulfurous waters have long been regarded for their healing properties and are said to have healed the arrow wounds of warriors who bathed in them. There are three small traditional public bath houses found around town that offer visitors a chance to experience the atmosphere of a small area hot spring bath. For larger baths and more amenities, head to the Aisome no Yu public bath house at the entrance of the town.

Kamikochi (上高地, Kamikōchi) is a popular resort in the Northern Japan Alps of Nagano Prefecture, offering some of Japan's most spectacular mountain scenery. It is open from April 17 until November 15 and shuts down during winter. Kamikochi is a 15 kilometre long plateau along the Azusa River, about 1500 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by tall mountains, including Nishihotakadake (2909 m), Okuhotakadake (3190 m), Maehotakadake (3090 m) and the volcanically active Yakedake (2455 m). Part of the Chubu Sangaku National Park, Kamikochi has been only moderately developed with half a dozen hotels, a few souvenir shops, mountain huts and hiking trails. Private cars are banned from Kamikochi, and access is possible only by bus or taxi.

Takayama (高山) is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. To differentiate it from other places named Takayama, the city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. Takayama retains a traditional touch like few other Japanese cities, especially in its beautifully preserved old town. It ranks as a prime candidate among travellers wishing to add a rural element into their itineraries. Takayama gained importance as a source of high-quality timber and highly skilled carpenters during the feudal ages. For these important resources, the city was put under direct control of the shogun and enjoyed quite a bit of prosperity considering its remote mountain location. The Takayama Festival, held in spring and autumn, is considered one of Japan's best festivals.

The Shirakawa-go (白川郷, Shirakawagō) and neighbouring Gokayama (五箇山) regions line the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, they are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. Ogimachi, Shirakawa-go's largest village and main attraction, makes a good day trip from Takayama, or a stop on the bus journey between Takayama and Kanazawa. The best way to experience the town, however, is to stay overnight at one of the farmhouses.

Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha) is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 metres and belongs to the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794.

Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto and derives its name from the fall's waters. The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism, but formed its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of World Heritage Sites. Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 metres above the hillside. The stage affords nice views of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of colour in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The main hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple's primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon.

Arashiyama (嵐山) is a pleasant, touristy district in the western outskirts of Kyoto. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian Period (794-1185), when nobles would enjoy its natural setting. Arashiyama is particularly popular during the cherry blossom and fall colour seasons. The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama's well known, central landmark. Many small shops, restaurants and other attractions are found nearby, including Tenryuji Temple, Arashiyama's famous bamboo groves and pleasure boats that are available for rent on the river. North of central Arashiyama the atmosphere becomes less touristy and more rural, with several small temples scattered along the base of the wooded mountains. The area north of the Togetsukyo Bridge is also known as Sagano, while "Arashiyama" technically refers just to the mountains south of the river but is commonly used to name the entire district.

Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specialises in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialities, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. Nishiki Market has a pleasant but busy atmosphere that is inviting to those who want to explore the variety of culinary delights that Kyoto is famous for. The stores range from small narrow stalls to larger two storey shops. Most specialise in a particular type of food, and almost everything sold at the market is locally produced and procured.

Kimono Forest is a collection of gorgeous cylinder-shaped pillars framing the lane way to Randen tram station on Kyoto’s Keifuku Arashiyama line, which was installed as part of the renovation in 2013. It is called a "forest" since the pillars are clustered like a forest and the kimono is displayed on each of the pillars. The Kimono Forest consists of pieces of textile displays dyed in the traditional Kyo-yuzen style. Each of the 2 metre high pillars are covered with acrylic fibre. There are about 600 of them all installed all over the station grounds. The Kyo-yuzen textile used for this exhibition was created by Kamedatomi, a long standing textile factory whose history dates back to Taisho period. These days they also produce aloha shirts with bright kimono inspired patterns.

Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara Kōen) is a large park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum. It is also home to hundreds of freely roaming deer.Considered the messengers of the gods, Nara's over 1000 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure. Deer crackers are for sale around the park, and some deer have learned to bow to visitors to ask to be fed. Nara's deer are surprisingly tame, although they can be aggressive if they think you will feed them, so make sure not to tease them with food.

The construction of Osaka Castle (大阪城, Ōsakajō) started in 1583 on the former site of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple, which had been destroyed by Oda Nobunaga thirteen years earlier. Toyotomi Hideyoshi intended the castle to become the centre of a new, unified Japan under Toyotomi rule. It was the largest castle at the time. However, a few years after Hideyoshi's death, Tokugawa troops attacked and destroyed the castle and terminated the Toyotomi lineage in 1615. Osaka Castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in the 1620s, but its main castle tower was struck by lightening in 1665, burnt down, and was not rebuilt during the feudal ages.

A mere eight-minute walk from busy Nankai Station, Namba Yasaka Shrine is home to Namba’s guardian deity and part of a once flourishing complex of Buddhist temples that were burned down in wartime air raids. Namba Yasaka is famous for its lion-shaped stage, which stands out as a unique piece of architecture, especially compared with the austere temple beside it. It’s not hard to draw a parallel with Osaka’s kaleidoscopic mix of traditional, retro, modern and futuristic, distilled at this secret shrine smack in the centre of the city’s bawdiest entertainment district.

Glico Running Man The most famous sign in the area is the Glico Running Man, which is located above Ebisubashi Bridge, a popular pedestrian bridge. Shochiku-za Shochiku-za is the only remaining kabuki establishment from Dotonbori’s theatre district days. River Cruise A unique way to experience Dotonbori is via a river cruise. As you are separated from the packed streets, you can leisurely observe the trademark buildings and watch their lights dance on the shifting waters. Kuidaore Taro Kuidaore Taro is a mechanical clown statue, with origins in the 1950s, displayed in the lobby of the Nakaza Kuidaore Building. Hozenji Yokocho Hozenji Yokocho is an old-fashioned alleyway beside Dotonbori. The tranquil street is known for its traditional shops and restaurants, soft lantern light, and cobblestone streets.