All Japan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Japan

653 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Japan

Updated July 17, 2024

Email

Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Aomori
  2. Beppu
  3. Chichibu
  4. Fukuoka
  5. Hakone
  6. Hatsukaichi
  7. Himeji
  8. Hiroshima
  9. Ichihara
  10. Ise
  11. Ishigaki
  12. Iwakuni
  13. Kamakura
  14. Kawasaki
  15. Kawazu
  16. Kesennuma
  17. Kitakyushu
  18. Kobe
  19. Kumamoto
  20. Kure
  21. Kyonan
  22. Kyoto
  23. Matsumoto
  24. Minakami
  25. Mitaka
  26. Mito
  27. Miyoshi
  28. Motobu
  29. Nagasaki
  30. Naoshima
  31. Nara
  32. Niigata
  33. Nikko
  34. Okinawa
  35. Ōme
  36. Onomichi
  37. Osaka
  38. Otaru
  39. Sado
  40. Sakaiminato
  41. Sapporo
  42. Sasebo
  43. Takasaki
  44. Takayama
  45. Tamura
  46. Tokyo
  47. Utsunomiya
  48. Yamanouchi
  49. Yokohama
  50. Yokosuka
  51. Yoshimi

Unusual Attractions in Japan

See All 653 Things To Do in Japan

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Japan

See all 10 Places to Eat in Japan
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Trips

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Learn More

Explore Japan

History & Culture 122
Architecture 81
Museums 65
Statues 65
Shrines 61
Temples 59
Buddhism 47
Sacred Spaces 32

Japan Leaderboard

Recent Japan Activity

Stories About Japan

The famed Koshihikari rice is sticky and chewy.

White Rice Is Bland? These Japanese Researchers Beg to Differ

Japan's food world is eagerly awaiting an upcoming "flavor dictionary."
by Kenji Hall
In Nara City, Japan, sika deer have been protected for over a thousand years due to their sacred status in Shintoism.

Decoding the Sacred Genetics of Japan's Sika Deer

The deer of Nara Park are part of a millennium-old genetic lineage—does that make them more deserving of protection?
by Roxanne Hoorn
Sado Island, Japan.

Share Your Dream Destination and Win a Japan Adventure! (Submissions Closed)

Tell us an amazing place to travel next year, and you could win a remarkable Atlas Obscura experience.
Sponsored by Atlas Obscura Trips
Oarfish sport red spine-like fins on their head and a long dorsal fin running the length of their body, as well as two oar-like pelvic fins, giving them their name.

The Legend of Japan's 'Earthquake Fish'

The serpent-like oarfish has long been considered an omen of natural disaster. Scientists are shaking up that old superstition.
by Roxanne Hoorn
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Chocaholic

by AO Puzzles
Cutting spaghetti squash across its short end results in longer "noodles."

How Spaghetti Squash Squiggled Its Way Onto American Tables

It took a shift in food culture for consumers to embrace the "noodle plant."
by Andrew Coletti
A school crossing sign in Fukuoka offers a variation on Tobita-kun.

The 'Darting Children' That Helped Japan Win Its War on Traffic Accidents

How hand-painted signs known as Tobita-kun became beloved local mascots.
by Allan Richarz
Fireflies glow along Japan's Hino River some 450 miles west of Tokyo.

How A ‘Firefly Course’ Is Saving Japan’s Favorite Glowing Insect

At the Moriyama City Firefly Forest Museum, nurturing Genji fireflies comes with homework.
by Shoshi Parks

Lists Featuring Japan

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
Oh, hello!
Little Spotted Kiwi

10 Ethical Animal Places to Visit in 2019

Unique experiences from Nairobi to Chiang Mai.

12

Including Cat Island, Elephant Nature Park , and India's Giant Technicolor Squirrels

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.

Learn More