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Ennō
Ennō-ji is distinguished by its statues depicting the judges of hell. According to the Juo concept of Taoism, which was introduced to Japan from China during the Heian period (794–1185), these 10 judges decide the fate of souls, who, being neither truly good nor truly evil, must be
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Museum of Kyoto
This museum is worth visiting if a special exhibition is on (the regular exhibits are not particularly interesting and don’t have much in the way of English explanations). On the 1st floor, the Roji Tempō is a reconstruction of a typical merchant area in Kyoto during the Edo period
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Hijiyama
Hijiyama-kōen is a hilly tree-filled park just outside Hiroshima city centre. Its noted for its cherry blossoms in spring and autumn foliage, and is a top spot for a stroll. Its also home to the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Hiroshima City Manga Library. Take t
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Nezu Museum
Nezu Museum offers a striking blend of old and new: a renowned collection of Japanese, Chinese and Korean antiquities in a gallery space designed by contemporary architect Kuma Kengo. Select items from the extensive collection are displayed in seasonal exhibitions. Behind the galle
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Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo (MOT)
For a primer in the major movements of post-WWII Japanese art, a visit to the permanent collection gallery here should do the trick. Temporary exhibitions, on changing subjects (including fashion, architecture, and design) cost extra. The building’s stone, steel and wood architectu
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Reikan
Only open to the public in spring and autumn, Reikan-ji is one of Kyoto’s great lesser-visited attractions. During the spring opening, you will find the grounds positively rioting with camellia. In autumn, the brilliant reds of the maples will dazzle the eye. The small collection o
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Kantō Earthquake Memorial Museum
This museum presents sombre exhibits about the 1923 earthquake that destroyed more than 70% of the city and killed more than 50,000 people. There is a harrowing collection of photographs and paintings of the aftermath. The museum has generalised to cover other disasters to strike T
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Hida Furukawa Matsuri Kaikan
Observe Furukawas famous festival year-round in this canal-district museum. Theres a 3D video of the festivities (with English narration), three of the massive yatai that are paraded through the streets, and a karakuri ningyō (marionette) show. You can also try your hand at manipul
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Amami
Though most displays are in Japanese, theres enough multimedia to make this Amami cultural and natural-history museum interesting even if finer details are lost. Short documentary films illustrating island traditions, musical exhibits and dioramas of local homes all bring Amami tra
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International Design Centre Nagoya
Housed in the swooping Nadya Park complex is this secular shrine to the deities of conceptualisation, form and function. Everything from art deco to postmodernism, Electrolux to Isamu Noguchi, Arne Jacobsen to the Mini Cooper and everything in between, is represented in these signi
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Musée Tomo
One of Tokyo’s most elegant and tasteful museums is named after Kikuchi Tomo, whose collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics wowed them in Washington and London before finally being exhibited at home. Exhibitions change every few months but can be relied on to be atmospheric an
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Egaraten
Students come to Egaraten-jinja to pray for academic success. Like other Tenjin shrines, Egara is dedicated to the memory of Michizane Sugawara, a Kyoto scholar of noble birth who was born in the middle of the 9th century. Students write their aspirations on ema (small votive plaqu
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Tsuruga
The towering 1965 reconstruction of Tsuruga-jō sits in sprawling grounds framed by the original moat and some ruins of the old castle walls. Inside is a museum with historical artefacts from battles and daily life, but the real drawcard is the view from the 5th-floor lookout. Exper
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Takinō
About 1km north of Futarasan-jinja close by the Shiraito Falls, is this serene, delightfully less crowded shrine that has a history stretching back to 820. The stone gate, called Undameshi-no-torii , dates back to 1696. Before entering, its customary to try your luck tossing three
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Akita Museum of Art
Akitas most famous painting, Tsuguharu Fūjitas Events of Akita, is also reputed to be the worlds largest canvas painting, measuring 3.65m by 20.5m and depicting traditional Akita life through the seasons. This work and many others are housed in this shiny new Andō Tadao–designed mu
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Pasona
The exterior of the nine-storey office of local recruitment firm Pasona is clad in plants, while inside around 200 species of fruits, vegetables, rice and herbs make up their urban farm. Staff take meetings beneath trellises from which tomato plants and grape vines dangle, sitting
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Kairaku
One of the three most celebrated landscape gardens in Japan, Kairaku-en was created in 1842 by the daimyō of the Mito han (domain), a member of the clan of the Tokugawa shōgun. Kairaku-en means the garden to enjoy with people, and it was one of the first gardens in the nation to op
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Chiringashima
Lovely Chiringashima is connected to the mainland by a thin land bridge that appears only at low tide, when hikers, beachcombers and tide-pool explorers can walk the coral and shell-strewn connector and visit a small shrine on the island itself. Hours vary with the tides, which you
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Tokyo International Forum
This architectural marvel designed by Rafael Viñoly houses a convention and arts centre, with seven auditoriums and a spacious courtyard in which concerts and events are held. The eastern wing looks like a glass ship plying the urban waters; take the lift to the 7th floor and look
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Engaku
One of Kamakuras five major Rinzai Zen temples, Engaku-ji was founded in 1282 as a place where Zen monks might pray for soldiers who lost their lives defending Japan against Kublai Khan. All of the temple structures have been rebuilt over the centuries; the Shariden, a Song-style r
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