Historic sites

In Japan, there are more than 1,700 historic sites and some of particular significance have been designated as "special historic sites".Many of Japan's historic architectures and districts have got well preserved while some ones have been destructive due to fires, earthquakes, wars and city redevelopment over centuries.Besides the temples and shrines, castles,the rural villages like shirawaka-go twinkles in tourism,and samurai residences lead visitors to glance at authentic samurai cultures.

Shirakawa-go Village

Located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time, these villages with their Gassho-style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms.

Takayama Old Town

Takayama's old town has been beautifully preserved with many buildings and whole streets of houses dating from the Edo Period (1600-1868), when the city thrived as a wealthy town of merchants.

Nagamachi District

Nagamachi was a samurai district located at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families used to reside.

Higashiyama District(Preserved Historic Streets)

Higashiyama District along the lower slopes of Kyoto's eastern mountains is one of the city's best-preserved historic districts. It is a great place to experience traditional Kyoto, with narrow lanes, wooden buildings, and traditional merchant shops invoking a feeling of the old capital city.

Gion

Gion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west.

Naramachi

Naramachi is the former merchant district of Nara, where several traditional residential buildings and warehouses are preserved and open to the public.

Higashi Chaya District

During the Edo Period, chaya were found in designated entertainment districts, usually just outside the city limits. Kanazawa has three, well preserved chaya districts, Higashi Chayagai (Eastern Chaya District), Nishi Chayagai (Western Chaya District) and Kazuemachi.

Tsumago

Tsumago was a post town on the Nakasendo route between Kyoto and Edo. It is known today as one of the best preserved post towns in Japan. The town and its residents go to great lengths to recreate the ambience of the Edo Period.

Magome

Magome is a post town in the Kiso Valley, which served travelers of the Nakasendo, a major route connecting Tokyo with Kyoto during the Edo Period. Take a stroll around Magome where visitors will find a large waterwheel, old Japanese folk houses, historical stone monuments, and more.

Kurazukuri no Machinami / Warehouse District

Kawagoe's Warehouse District provides a nostalgic scene from the Edo Period (1603-1867).