Japan is home to 23 UNESCO World Heritage sites: 19 cultural and four natural sites. The most famous, of course, is Mount Fuji, which also is the most photographed place on earth. To maximize your time visiting these sites, consider day tours using private cars with guides.
Cultural (19)
-
- Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (1993)
- Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration (2013)
- Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (2000)
- Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (2018)
- Himeji-jo (1993)
- Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land (2011)
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (1996)
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (1994)
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (1998)
- Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (1995)
- Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (1996)
- Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape (2007)
- Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (2019)
- Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (2017)
- Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (2004)
- Shrines and Temples of Nikko (1999)
- Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining (2015)
- The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)
- Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites (2014)
Natural (4)
- Ogasawara Islands (2011)
- Shirakami-Sanchi (1993)
- Shiretoko (2005)
- Yakushima (1993)
Ready to travel more, better, and for less?
Everything here is something we actually use. No fluff, no filler. Get our best travel tips: Join 4200+ travelers over 50 getting our best travel advice every week – and get our best travel tips sent to you immediately. Send Me the Tips → Travel Accessories: Everything we carry to make getting there and being there easier. Flights: The best flight deals as we find them at Thrifty Traveler.. Book your Hotel: Find the best prices with Booking.com. Travel Insurance: Don't skip this — especially after 50. Travel With Us: Join one of our small group tours. Our Amazon shop: Gear, books, and everything we actually travel with. If you use any of the links in our posts to purchase our recommended products, we'll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
