NorthWest WaAizu-Wakamatsu Tsuruga Castle
Red-tiled castle tied to the Boshin War.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Japan › Onsen & Travel Directory › Temples, shrines and castles
Temples, shrines and castles
Japan’s great temples, shrines and original castles.
Bow at the torii, rinse your hands at the water basin, and keep quiet in prayer halls. Some halls ban photos, so look for signs.
Byodo-in
Uji temple pictured on the 10-yen coin.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Chuson-ji
Hiraizumi UNESCO temple with the gold-covered Konjikido hall.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Dazaifu Tenmangu
Shrine to the god of learning, famous for umegae mochi.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Eihei-ji
Head temple of Soto Zen in the Fukui mountains.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Head shrine of Inari, with thousands of vermilion torii gates up the mountain.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Hikone Castle
National Treasure castle on Lake Biwa.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Himeji Castle
UNESCO World Heritage castle, the finest surviving original castle in Japan.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Hirosaki Castle
Original Edo-period keep in a famous cherry-blossom park.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Inuyama Castle
National Treasure castle with one of Japan's oldest surviving keeps.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Ise Jingu
Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine complex.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Itsukushima Shrine
Miyajima shrine with the 'floating' torii gate.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Izumo Taisha
One of Japan's oldest shrines, linked to matchmaking.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kanazawa Castle and Kenroku-en
Castle park beside Kenroku-en, one of Japan's three great gardens.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kasuga Taisha
Nara shrine famous for thousands of stone and bronze lanterns.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kinkaku-ji (Rokuon-ji)
The Golden Pavilion temple.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kiyomizu-dera
Kyoto temple with a famous wooden stage over the hillside.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kochi Castle
Castle with an original Edo-period keep.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura)
Kamakura's outdoor bronze Great Buddha.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Koyasan (Kongobu-ji)
Head temple of Shingon Buddhism on Mt. Koya; temple stays nearby.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kumamoto Castle
Great Kyushu castle being restored after the 2016 earthquakes.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Kumano Nachi Taisha
Kumano shrine beside Nachi Falls.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Matsue Castle
National Treasure castle with an original keep beside Lake Shinji.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Matsumoto Castle
National Treasure black castle with an original wooden keep.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Matsuyama Castle
Hilltop castle with an original keep, reached by ropeway.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Meiji Jingu
Forested Tokyo shrine next to Harajuku.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Nagoya Castle
Castle famous for its golden shachihoko roof ornaments and rebuilt Hommaru Palace.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Nikko Toshogu
Lavishly carved UNESCO shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Okayama Castle
Okayama's black 'crow castle'; Korakuen garden is across the river.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Osaka Castle
Rebuilt keep and museum in a large castle park, a sakura favourite.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Senso-ji
Tokyo's oldest temple, in Asakusa.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Shuri Castle
Ryukyu Kingdom palace site, under reconstruction after the 2019 fire.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Todai-ji
Nara temple housing the Great Buddha in a giant wooden hall.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
Zenko-ji
Nagano city temple with a pitch-dark underground passage.
Source: Official website · Verified 2026-10-15
34 listings · updated 2026-10-15
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