All Japan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Japan

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

Updated May 12, 2025

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Cities

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

Unusual Attractions in Japan

See All 790 Things To Do in Japan

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Japan

See all 74 Places to Eat in Japan
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766
History & Culture 137
Architecture 87
Shrines 80
Statues 79
Museums 73
Temples 73
Buddhism 61
Legends 41

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Stories About Japan

Rice is central to Sado Island’s economy and culture.

How a Near-Extinct Bird Returned to the Rice Fields of Sado Island

The beautiful toki have become the pride of the island.
by Elena Valeriote
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.

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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

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Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
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