Discover Japan’s Top 5 UNESCO Wonders — Temples, Castles and more!

Japan is a country rich in culture and heritage. This country is the perfect blend of cultural marvels along with natural beauty. Japan is home to 26 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which range from castles and shrines to temples and peaks that show ‘outstanding universal value’.

Through these monuments, one can get a glimpse into the heritage and culture of Japan. Japan does not only provide a home to beautiful ancient architecture; there are some breathtaking natural landscapes too that are well preserved.

But today we are going to tell you about top 5 beautiful sites of Japan that have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites:

This shrine is located on the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima Bay and is quite famous worldwide for having a ‘floating gate’ that appears to be standing in the high tide. This shrine complex was formerly built in 593 and then expanded in the 12th century. The torii gate was constructed from ancient camphor trees with traditional techniques and is 16 m tall and weighs 60 tons. This was made in such a way that it stands freely without any additional support. The shrine complex also has a prayer hall, main hall, and Noh theatre stage which one can access through boardwalks. This shrine looks even more beautiful at night as the shrine and the torii gate get illuminated, making it the perfect spot for a walk.

This place is also known as the ‘Genbaku Dome’ and is the only place still partially standing near the bomb center of 1945 and was preserved in the ruined state itself. This place symbolizes the tragedy and their global commitment to peace. This place is quite famous amongst tourists with its trees, lawns, and walking paths contrasting to the rest of the area around. It is considered that this place was chosen as the pilot’s target because this was the political and commercial heart of the city. This peace memorial is dedicated to the dropping of the bomb and the human suffering that it caused.

This castle is also known as the White Heron Castle because it is in a graceful white color and is the most beautiful and well-preserved monument. This castle has never been impacted by any calamity like war, earthquake, or fire and is one of the twelve original castles of Japan. This castle was originally built in 1333 and features a complex design of defense with maze-like corridors and robust walls and moats. This has been built in such a fortified way with many gates to slow down the attacking forces. This castle is also a popular cherry blossom spot during the blooming season in early April.

Kyoto is one of the country’s largest cities. This was also the former capital of Japan and provides a home to 17 cultural sites which have been listed as World Heritage Sites. This includes many spectacular temples like Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Byōdō which depict the religious traditions of Japan over a thousand years. Tourists can visit the Kiyomizu-dera which is famous for its huge wooden stage built without nails, and one can also look at the scenic views of Kyoto from here. One of the 17 cultural sites is Tō-ji and was one of Kyoto’s first temples. These sites depict different architectural styles and eras of Japan which also showcase their devotion to art, faith, and design.

These remote villages are located in the mountain valleys and are known for their gasshō-zukuri houses which are steep, have thatched roofs shaped like hands in a prayer, and are more than 250 years old. It is thatched in such a way to resist the heavy snow that falls here during winter. The largest village of Shirakawa is Ogimachi and is also the main attraction here. Gokayama is less developed and less crowded and is the perfect location for those looking for a peaceful atmosphere. The villages one can visit in Gokayama are Suganuma and Ainokura.