Japan: it feels like everyone around you has been there at least once. But when it's finally your turn to plan a trip, figuring out exactly where to go can feel surprisingly overwhelming.

Everyone travels differently. Whether you're after trendy shopping in a big city, a stroll through quiet historic architecture, or some relaxation on an emerald green coastline, the perfect destination looks different for everyone.

From first timers who have never set foot in Japan to seasoned travelers chasing something new, we're introducing 10 must visit Japanese cities to match every kind of traveler. Find your perfect city now!

Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost region, is famous for its chilly climate, making it an ideal destination for anyone who loves winter.

The city hosts the world renowned Sapporo Snow Festival, where dazzling ice and snow sculptures fill the streets every February. The festival draws more than 2 million visitors each year.

Crowds flock to the Sapporo Olympic Museum, home to memorabilia from the 1972 Winter Olympics, while nearby ski resorts fill up with visitors eager to hit the slopes. Hokkaido is also famous for its incredible seafood, so if you're heading to Sapporo, be sure to treat yourself to some of the freshest catches around.

While Sapporo is best known as a winter destination, it's just as wonderful in summer and fall. In late July, nearby Furano bursts into bloom with lavender fields, and Sapporo's summers stay refreshingly mild. Come fall, the cooler air pairs perfectly with stunning autumn foliage, relaxing hot springs, and scenic road trips by rental car.

With a population of about 1.09 million, Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region and serves as the gateway to the surrounding area. Known as the “City of Trees,” it's famous for the beautiful zelkova lined street of Jozenji Dori. The city is also known for the Tanabata Festival, one of Japan's three great festivals, along with its rich history tied to the feudal lord Date Masamune and unique local dishes like gyutan (grilled beef tongue). As a hub of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the region's economic and cultural center, Sendai has also become a symbol of recovery since the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011.

Tokyo is arguably Japan's most famous city. Its core is made up of 23 special wards, home to a metropolitan population of about 35 million.

Shibuya's famous Scramble Crossing, often called the busiest intersection in the world, is said to see as many as 3,000 people cross at once when the light turns green, with as many as 500,000 people passing through in a single day.

Shinjuku Station is also known as the world's busiest train station, handling around 3.4 million passengers a day. Akihabara, meanwhile, is the heart of otaku culture, packed with shops devoted to games, anime, and manga, alongside countless electronics stores that make it Japan's largest electronics district.

Tokyo is known around the world as a birthplace of fashion trends and ‘kawaii’ (cute) culture, yet it still holds deep traces of traditional culture, with festivals held at shrines and temples throughout the year. In this way, Tokyo is a city where the old and the new exist side by side.

It's probably the first city that comes to mind when you think of a trip to Japan.


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Nagoya is the heart of Japan's automobile and aerospace industries, and it's also become a tech hub for the rapidly growing robotics industry. Visit the city's Science Museum, the SCMaglev and Railway Park, the Toyota Museum, or the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology to get a real feel for Nagoya's identity as a city of technology.

Nagoya has also become known in recent years as the host of the World Cosplay Summit, where cosplayers from 20 countries around the globe show off their skills in a dazzling cosplay parade.

The city has drawn even more attention lately thanks to Ghibli Park, located just outside town. If you're planning a visit, renting a car is the most convenient way to get there.

Japan's capital for over a thousand years, Kyoto is the perfect place to experience traditional Japanese culture. With around 2,000 temples and shrines, including Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, Ryoan-ji, famous for its Zen rock garden, and Fushimi Inari Taisha with its roughly 5,000 vermilion torii gates, there's no shortage of places to explore.

One of Kyoto's most talked about spots is Gion, the city's historic geisha district. Spotting a geiko or maiko is said to be rare, but if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of beautifully dressed women in kimono strolling through the streets. Art and history lovers should also make time for the Kyoto National Museum, home to more than 230 national treasures and important cultural properties.

Kyoto truly has so much to offer, yet many travelers only fit in a single overnight stay while exploring Osaka. We recommend spending at least two nights and making Kyoto the center of your trip so you can soak up everything it has to offer.

Osaka might just be the most popular city among Japan travel destinations. As the largest city in the Kansai region and Japan's second biggest metropolis, it's known for its dazzling, high energy streets.

There's almost too much to see and enjoy here, from the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, one of the largest public aquariums in the world, to the glittering neon signs of Universal Studios Japan, Osaka specialties like takoyaki and okonomiyaki, and Dotonbori, the city's liveliest entertainment district.

Osaka is also known as a place to experience traditional Japanese culture, with sights like Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, and Bunraku puppet theater.

As you can see, Osaka is packed with things to see and eat. It's also perfectly located for easy trips to nearby Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe, making it an ideal home base for travelers who want to explore as much as possible.

Fukuoka Prefecture is home to Kyushu's largest city, also called Fukuoka. As a major transportation hub, it's usually the starting point for most trips around Kyushu, drawing plenty of visitors who come for the ramen, shopping, and city sightseeing.

Since direct flights to regional airports can be somewhat limited, you may wish to fly into Fukuoka Airport first before heading on to places like Yufuin or Beppu. Because of this, a common itinerary is to spend one or two nights exploring Fukuoka city, then another one or two nights in a nearby area.

Hiroshima is the city where the world's first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. Shortly afterward, it suffered even more devastation from the Makurazaki Typhoon that struck directly. Yet Hiroshima has overcome these tragedies to become the vibrant city it is today.

Its ruined streets and destroyed buildings were rebuilt anew, and in 1949 Japan's national government officially declared it a “City of Peace.” Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park became a symbol of the city's recovery, and it's just one of many sites dedicated to peace here. There's no shortage of must see spots, from Itsukushima Shrine, famous for its torii gate that appears to float on the water, to Hiroshima Castle and Shukkei-en Garden.

Located at the southernmost tip of Japan, Okinawa is made up of 160 islands with a subtropical climate that's home to many rare plants and animals.

With white sand beaches, cobalt blue waters, and colorful tropical fish, it's a place where you can enjoy incredible snorkeling and scuba diving without ever leaving Japan. Known by its old name, the Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa still holds onto a culture all its own, offering a completely different side of traditional Japan.

As the main island of the Miyako Islands, Miyakojima is all about the sea. It's famous for having some of the clearest water and whitest sand beaches in the world, with Maehama Beach often ranked as one of the best beaches in Asia. Thanks to its flat, coral reef terrain, the island is a mecca for snorkeling and diving. Connected by bridges to Ikema Island and Kurima Island, it forms a stunning ocean resort area, making it a paradise like destination beloved by travelers from Japan and abroad alike.

Ishigakijima is the central island of Okinawa's Yaeyama Islands, offering a bit more in the way of sightseeing compared to the ocean focused Miyakojima. It's famous for the emerald waters of Kabira Bay and Japan's southernmost coral reefs, and you can easily combine your visit with trips to nearby islands like Taketomi. The island is also home to Ishigaki beef, one of Japan's finest wagyu brands, and thanks to its warm, subtropical climate year round, it's a popular resort destination for water sports and trekking alike.

Which city speaks to you? Whether you choose a modern, trendy city or a historic one, wherever you go, you're bound to discover a side of Japan you've never seen before. We hope this guide helps you plan your next trip.