Japan, the land of the rising sun: five selected top travel destinations

Japan has a wide variety of sights. We have selected five exciting travel destinations for you.

The best place to start your trip through Japan is the capital Tokyo. With almost 40 million inhabitants, Tokyo is one of the world's largest metropolitan areas.

Your flight to Japan will take you to Narita International Airport (NRT), 70 kilometers east of Tokyo city center, or to the older Tokyo-Haneda Airport.

The Chiyoda district is located in the center of Tokyo. It is home to the Imperial Palace, the parliament building, the Supreme Court and the official residence of the Prime Minister.

There are special rules for visiting the Imperial Palace. Only the eastern gardens of the palace complex are open all year round.

One of Tokyo's landmarks is the Tokyo Tower television tower, built in 1958, whose design is reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The 333-metre Tokyo Tower is located in the Minato district in the south of the city center. The Tokyo Tower is visited by three million people every year.

The Tokyo National Museum (located in the Taito district to the east of the city center) gives you a good insight into Japanese and East Asian art and culture. The exhibits include numerous national cultural assets of Japan. Founded in 1872, the National Museum is the largest and oldest museum in the country.

Continue your trip to Japan with a visit to the historically and culturally significant city of Kyoto.

Kyoto is located around 460 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. Try the famous Shinkansen express train, which takes you from Tokyo to Kyoto in 2 ¼ hours.

Kyoto was the imperial residence and capital of Japan for over a millennium (from 794 to 1868 AD). Visit important buildings such as the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Kyoto is also the city of 3,000 temples and shrines. 17 monuments in the vicinity of Kyoto have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The city's museums are well worth a visit and include the Kyoto National Museum, which focuses on traditional Japanese art, and the Kyoto Museum, which provides information about the city's history.

Osaka, the third largest city in Japan, is located 50 kilometers southwest of Kyoto (only 12 minutes by Shinkansen).

From the 103 meter high Tsutenkaku observation tower, which is located in the south of the city, you can get a first overview of Osaka.

The so-called Namba Shrine was built in 415 AD in memory of Emperor Nintoki, during whose reign Osaka first became the capital of Japan. The Sukunahikona Shinto Shrine (Osaka-Doshōmachi district), which is dedicated to medicine deities, dates back to the 18th century.

Osaka Castle is a famous fortress that played an important role in the unification of Japan in the 16th century. A museum set up in the castle provides information about the castle's eventful history and about the general Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537 to 1598), who made a significant contribution to the unification of Japan.

Sapporo, the largest city on Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, is particularly worth a visit in the colder months of the year. Sapporo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1972.

A snow festival has been held in Sapporo every year since 1949. International artists create ephemeral works of art from ice and snow in public squares.

Enjoy the unique nature of Japan during your stay in Japan. Visit the volcanic Mount Fuji (also known as Fujijama), the highest mountain in Japan at almost 3,800 meters above sea level.

From Tokyo, you can reach the volcanic mountain, which is just under 100 kilometers away, in around three to four hours by train, bus or car.