All Japan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Japan

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

Updated March 7, 2025

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Cities

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

Unusual Attractions in Japan

See All 759 Things To Do in Japan

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Japan

See all 73 Places to Eat in Japan
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History & Culture 135
Architecture 85
Statues 77
Shrines 74
Museums 71
Temples 69
Buddhism 57
Legends 38

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Recent Japan Activity

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

Lists Featuring Japan

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
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