Japan
15 Best Landmarks in Japan
The landmarks travelers rate highest across Japan, with what makes each worth the trip.
Order reflects review volume from real travelers in Japan. Refreshed monthly.
Shibuya Sky
Landmark · TokyoShibuya Sky is a rooftop observation deck located on the 46th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, directly above Shibuya Station in Tokyo.
Read our full guide →Tokyo Skytree Town
Landmark · TokyoTokyo Skytree Town is a multi-purpose complex centered around the Tokyo Skytree, the world's tallest tower at 634 meters.
Read our full guide →Hamarikyu Gardens
Landmark · TokyoHamarikyu Gardens is a beautiful landscape garden located in central Tokyo, near the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay.
Read our full guide →Ninenzaka
Landmark · KyotoFree entryNinenzaka is a charming, preserved lane in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, famous for its cobblestone path and well-maintained Edo-period architecture.
Read our full guide →North Observation Deck, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1
Landmark · TokyoFree entryThe North Observation Deck in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Tochō) is one of the best free viewpoints in the city.
Read our full guide →Osaka Castle
Landmark · OsakaOsaka Castle stands as a symbol of Osaka's rich history, originally built in the 16th century.
Read our full guide →Shibuya Crossing
Landmark · TokyoFree entryShibuya Crossing is a scramble crossing in Tokyo's Shibuya district, near Shibuya Station. It's often called the world's busiest pedestrian crossing, with up to 3,000 people crossing during a single green light cycle.
Read our full guide →Arashiyama
Landmark · KyotoFree entryArashiyama, located on the western outskirts of Kyoto, is a picturesque district that blends natural beauty with cultural heritage.
Read our full guide →Godzilla Head
Landmark · TokyoFree entryThe Godzilla Head is a striking landmark perched atop the Hotel Gracery in Shinjuku's bustling Kabukicho district.
Read our full guide →Statue of Hachikō
Landmark · TokyoFree entryA bronze statue of the Akita dog Hachikō, famous for his loyalty to his owner, stands outside Shibuya Station in Tokyo.
Read our full guide →Kiyosu Castle
Landmark · NagoyaKiyosu Castle is a faithful reconstruction of the original 15th-century castle that played a key role in the unification of Japan under Oda Nobunaga.
Read our full guide →Nagoya Castle
Landmark · NagoyaNagoya Castle is a historic Japanese castle originally built in the early 17th century.
Read our full guide →Kuchu Teien Observatory
Landmark · OsakaThe Umeda Sky Building is one of Osaka's most striking modern landmarks, twin 40-storey towers joined at the top by the 'Floating Garden Observatory' (Kuchu Teien), a ring-shaped rooftop deck 170…
Read our full guide →Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
Landmark · YokohamaFree entryThe Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse is a historic port building at the Port of Yokohama, now a complex with a shopping mall, banquet hall, and event venues.
Read our full guide →Tsutenkaku
Landmark · OsakaTsutenkaku is Osaka's beloved retro tower, a 103-metre landmark from 1956 that presides over the wonderfully old-school Shinsekai ('New World') district.
Read our full guide →
Good to know
What is the best-known of the landmarks in Japan?
Shibuya Sky in Tokyo is the most reviewed, with 25,586 traveler reviews and a 4.6 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.
Which of Japan's landmarks is worth going out of your way for?
Tokyo Skytree Town in Tokyo rates highest at 4.5 out of 5 across 13,825 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.
Which city in Japan has the most landmarks?
Tokyo, with 7 on this list, ahead of Osaka on 3. The list spans 5 cities in total, capped at three per city so one big city cannot crowd out the rest of the country.
Are any of these landmarks free to visit?
Yes, 7: Ninenzaka, North Observation Deck, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1, Shibuya Crossing and others. That is based on each place's own visiting information, not an assumption about the category.
How is this list of landmarks ranked?
By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time, drawn from 1,380 tracked places in Japan. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.
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