Mount Fuji towering beyond a field of blue nemophila

Seasons — 26 places

SpringJapan in Spring

Flowers and fresh greenery colour the mountains from below.

Photo: Fckmarcsaar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

26 destinations

Flowers and fresh greenery colour the mountains from below.

FUJI

Mount Fuji

Yamanashi / Shizuoka

The mountain that draws this country's outline in a single ridge.

Taisho Pond reflecting autumn forest and the Hotaka range

KAMIKOCHI

KamikochiNagano · Koshinetsu

A mountain scenic area at an elevation of about 1,500 m, set deep in the Northern Alps in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. Along the Azusa River, beneath the Hotaka mountain range, lie Taisho Pond, Kappa Bridge and Myojin Pond.

Mountains / Gorges / Forests

The Northern Alps glowing at sunset, reflected in the paddies

HAKUBA

HakubaNagano · Koshinetsu

Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture. A mountain resort of farmland and villages set against the three Hakuba peaks, including Mount Shirouma at 2,932 m. A base for skiing in winter, and for climbing and the highlands in summer.

Mountains / Snowscapes / Highlands

TATEYAMA

Tateyama & MurodoToyama · Hokuriku

Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture. At Murodo-daira, the heart of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route at 2,450 m, the crater lake Mikurigaike holds blue water. Snow walls of Yuki-no-Otani in spring, alpine flowers in summer, autumn leaves in autumn.

Mountains / Lakes / Snowscapes

KARUIZAWA

KaruizawaNagano · Koshinetsu

Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture. A highland summer retreat on the southeastern foot of Mount Asama (2,568 m). Developed as a villa area since the Meiji era, it is surrounded by quiet nature, from forest paths to Shiraito Falls.

Highlands / Forests / Waterfalls

HAKONE

Hakone

Kanagawa

From Tokyo, to mountains of lakes, mist and hot spring steam.

SHIRETOKO

ShiretokoHokkaido · Hokkaido

The Shiretoko Peninsula at the eastern tip of Hokkaido. Recognised for an ecosystem in which nutrients carried by drift ice link the sea to the forests and mountains, it was inscribed as a World Natural Heritage site in 2005. The Shiretoko Five Lakes, sheer coastal cliffs and pristine nature home to brown bears and deer remain.

Seas / Forests / Lakes

TOWADA

Lake TowadaAomori / Akita · Tohoku

A caldera lake straddling Aomori and Akita prefectures. With a maximum depth of 326.8 m, it is deep, and its peninsulas and capes form an intricate shoreline. It is also the source of the Oirase Stream.

Lakes / Forests / National parks

OIRASE

Oirase StreamAomori · Tohoku

Towada City, Aomori Prefecture. A mountain stream running from Nenokuchi on Lake Towada to Yakeyama, where clear water flows between mossy rocks and forest in a succession of waterfalls and rapids. A walking trail follows the river.

Gorges / Forests / Waterfalls

MATSUSHIMA

MatsushimaMiyagi · Tohoku

Matsushima Town and surrounding areas, Miyagi Prefecture. A scenic spot where islands large and small float in Matsushima Bay, counted with Amanohashidate and Miyajima among the Three Views of Japan. A national Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

Seas / Islands

Mount Fuji across Lake Yamanaka from an autumn shore

FUJI GOKO

Fuji Five Lakes

Yamanashi

Five lakes, five views of Fuji.

The Jogasaki Coast and the Pacific seen from a pine-covered cliff

IZU

Izu & Jogasaki CoastShizuoka · Tokai

Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. A sheer cliff coast formed when lava from the eruption of Mount Omuro reached the sea. One of the highlights of the Izu Peninsula Geopark, where a suspension bridge and walking trails look out over rugged rocks and sea.

Seas / National parks

BIWA

Lake BiwaShiga · Kansai

Japan's largest lake, covering about one-sixth of Shiga Prefecture. At Shirahige Shrine in Takashima, a great vermilion torii gate stands in the lake, creating a striking scene with the water as the morning sun rises.

Lakes

AMANOHASHIDATE

AmanohashidateKyoto · Kansai

Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture. A scenic spot where an avenue of pines runs along a sandbar about 3.6 km long, separating Miyazu Bay from the Aso Sea. One of the Three Views of Japan and a national Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

Seas

The Seto Inland Sea and a town seen from a mountaintop

SETOUCHI

Seto Inland SeaHiroshima / Okayama / Kagawa / Ehime / Yamaguchi / Hyogo · Chugoku

An inland sea enclosed by Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. An archipelagic seascape dotted with islands large and small, it forms the heart of Setonaikai National Park, one of Japan's first national parks, designated in 1934.

Seas / Islands / National parks

The vermilion great torii of Itsukushima Shrine standing in the sea at high tide

MIYAJIMA

Miyajima

Hiroshima

Shrine buildings that float on the sea with the ebb and flow of the tide.

NAOSHIMA

NaoshimaKagawa · Shikoku

Naoshima Town, Kagawa Prefecture. An island in the Seto Inland Sea where museums and outdoor works are scattered through the island's landscape. From its calm inlets and beaches, you look out on the Setouchi sea with its layered islands.

Islands / Seas

YAKUSHIMA

YakushimaKagoshima · Kyushu

Yakushima Town, Kagoshima Prefecture. Home to Mount Miyanoura (1,936 m), the highest peak in Kyushu, with forests of Yakusugi cedars over a thousand years old and moss-covered ravines. In 1993 it became one of the first areas in Japan inscribed as a World Natural Heritage site.

Islands / Forests / Mountains

AMAMI

Amami OshimaKagoshima · Kyushu

The main island of the Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture. Subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests, mangroves and a sea of intricate inlets spread across the island. In 2021 it was inscribed as part of the World Natural Heritage site "Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island".

Islands / Seas / Forests

An emerald-green inlet surrounded by green forest

OKINAWA

Northern Okinawa IslandOkinawa · Okinawa

Okinawa Prefecture, around Nakijin Village and Nago City in the north of the main island. On both sides of the Kouri Bridge, which spans to Kouri Island, spreads a shallow emerald-green sea.

Seas / Islands

The white sand and islets of Kabira Bay seen through the trees

ISHIGAKI

Ishigaki Island & Kabira Bay

Okinawa

The sea of Kabira Bay, changing colour with the angle of the light.

A white sand beach and the Miyako blue sea

MIYAKOJIMA

Miyako IslandOkinawa · Okinawa

Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture. Known for the white sand of Yonaha Maehama Beach and clear seas over coral reefs. The Irabu Bridge, opened in 2015, links Miyako Island and Irabu Island.

Seas / Islands

IRIOMOTE

Iriomote IslandOkinawa · Okinawa

Taketomi Town, Okinawa Prefecture. The second-largest island in Okinawa Prefecture after the main island, most of it covered by subtropical forest. Vast mangrove forests spread at the river mouths, and the Iriomote cat lives here. Inscribed as a World Natural Heritage site in 2021.

Islands / Forests / Seas

KUSATSU

Kusatsu OnsenGunma · Kanto

Kusatsu Town, Gunma Prefecture. One of Japan's representative hot spring towns, where steam rises from the Yubatake at the centre of town. Known for its abundant flow of spring water, with ryokan and public baths lined up around the Yubatake.

Hot spring towns / Snowscapes / Highlands

Kegon Falls dropping down a cliff in fresh greenery

NIKKO

Nikko & Kegon FallsTochigi · Kanto

Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture. At Kegon Falls, water flowing out of Lake Chuzenji plunges straight down a 97 m cliff. Counted with Nachi Falls and Fukuroda Falls among Japan's three great waterfalls, it is a signature landscape of Nikko National Park.

Waterfalls / Lakes / Forests

NACHI

Nachi Falls

Wakayama

A 133 m drop. A waterfall as an object of prayer.