Best Architecture around Tokyo and Surroundings Spot List

Hanazono-jinja Shrine in Shinjuku, loved by many as an urban oasis.

Yamate 234 Ban-Kan, or the Yamate #234 Residence, is a Western-style mansion that served as an apartment building for foreign residents. The panel exhibits displayed on the first floor tell the history of the building.

Yamate 111 Ban-Kan, or the Yamate #111 Residence, is a Spanish-style mansion with red roofing tiles and white exterior walls built inside the Harbor View Park.

The symbol of Odawara City, Kanagawa. The former castle area is now a park beloved by town residents and has an amusement park for children.

The temple is the oldest one in Kamakura, founded by a high priest called Gyoki. Its principal image of worship is the three figures of eleven-faced Kan'non, and the temple ground is covered with various flowers throughout the seasons.

It is a convention and art center built to disseminate comprehensive cultural information.

The building and garden represent the modern Japanese architecture in a semi-Western style.

A well-known shrine for its Chichibu Night Festival. Chichibu shrine enshrines several gods and has a history of over 2,100 years.

This shrine is the object of strong faith as the local deity of Haneda. The Haneda Fuji, which was created due to the people's admiration for Mt. Fuji, is another highlight of the shrine's grounds.

A soto-zen Buddhist temple, better known as Toyokawa Inari, which had been worshiped by both the mighty warriors of each era and common people of Edo-Tokyo. You can make a pilgrimage to the seven lucky gods and enjoy viewing lit paper lanterns.

A historical shrine with a solemn atmosphere built in Gongen-zukuri (style of Shinto architecture in which the main hall and worship hall share one roof). It is designated as National Important Cultural Property. Late April is the best period to see the Azaleas on the premises.

This temple is the daihonzan (head temple) of the Kencho-ji Temple school of the Rinzai sect and ranks first among the Kamakura Gozan (Kamakura's Five Great Zen Temples). It has a number of national treasures, cultural assets, and historical structures. The Sanmon (three gates) are a must-see.

A shrine that has a beautiful vermilion-lacquered shrine pavilion from the Edo period. It is also called Sanja Gongen (in honor of three men who founded the temple), and the Sanja Matsuri held in May is one of the Three Great Festivals of Edo (now Tokyo).

The National Diet Building is the center of law-making in Japan. Visitors can tour the building and observe the creativity and originality that were poured into the design of the building, including its stained glass windows and ceilings.

It is the palace where the generations of Emperors and Empresses of Japan have lived starting in the Meiji era (1868-1912) to this day. You can visit the palace site as long as you obtain prior permission.

It is a very popular sightseeing spot that you do not want to miss when you visit Tokyo. There are many ways to enjoy your visit because it offers observation decks, artwork, and the Tokyo Tourist Information Center.

Classical Zen Buddhist temple with gardens designed by Muso Kokushi. Enjoy the maple trees and seasonal flowers.

The gateway to Mt. Fuji, this shrine lets you purify body and mind in an atmosphere both solemn and cooling (you might even get a chance to see Shinto ceremonies like festivals, benedictions, or weddings!)

Ohyama Afuri Shrine is located on the top of Mt. Oyama. This historical shrine has been worshiped by common people as well as many military commanders in the past.

This is an auspicious shrine because of the kanji characters that are used for writing its name Hodosan can also be read as ”climbing a mountain of treasures.” The deities who protect people from fire, thefts, and other disasters are enshrined there.