Top 3 of Japan - Top 3 del Giappone

The Japan presents multiple aspects of interest, many time travelers have drawn up rankings on the matter. We have created the three best things to see and do in the country.

Views

Three views

Miyajima floating torii

The most famous list of all is attributed to the scholar Hayashi Gahō who composed it in 1643.

Three new views

日本新三景

Three night views

View from Mount Inasa

三大夜景 Sandaiyakei

Hakodate seen from Mount Hakodate
Kobe and the bay of Osaka views from Mount Rokko
Nagasaki view from Mount Inasa

Three new night views

新三大夜景 Shin-sandaiyakei

Kitakyushu seen from Mount Sarakurayama
Nara view from Mount Wakakusayama
Yamanashi seen from the Fuefuki River Fruit Park

Castles

To learn more, see: Castles of Japan.

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Takahashi

Himeji Castle

Three famous castles

三名城 Sanmeijō. A list written by Ogyu Sorai in the Edo period. He chose these three castles as the best of those designed by Kato Kiyomasa and Todo Takatora, whom he considered to be the best castle designers in Japan.

Three great mountain castles

三大山城 Sandaiyamashiro

Three large flat mountain castles

三大平山城 Sandaihiroyamashiro

Three famous gardens

Korakuen Garden, Okayama

三名園 Sanmeien

Kairakuen, Myth, Ibaraki
Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Kōrakuen, Okayama, Okayama

Holidays

Gion Matsuri, Kyoto

Nebuta Matsuri, Aomori

Awa Odori

Omagari Fireworks, Daisen

Three great parties

三大祭 Sandaisai

Gion Matsuri, Kyoto
Tenjin Matsuri, Osaka
Kanda and Sannō Matsuri, Tokyo

The Nebuta Matsuri of Aomori is often considered to be one of the top three holidays, but is actually only listed as one of the region's top three holidays Tohoku (look down).

Three great Tohoku parties

東北三大祭り

Nebuta Matsuri, Aomori, Aomori
Kanto Matsuri, Akita, Akita
Tanabata Matsuri, Sendai, Miyagi

Three great parties of Kyoto

京都三大祭

Gion Matsuri
Aoi Matsuri
Jidai Matsuri

Three great Shikoku parties

四国三大祭り

Awa Odori, Tokushima
Yosakoi Festival, Kochi
Niihama Taiko Festival, Niihama

Three great Obon parties

日本三大盆踊り

Nishimonai Festival, Ugo, Akita
Gujo Odori, Gujo, Gifu
Awa Odori, Tokushima, Tokushima

Three big fireworks

日本三大花火

Omagari fireworks, Daisen, Akita
Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki
Nagaoka fireworks, Nagaoka, Niigata

Thermal baths

Shirahama Onsen

To learn more, see: Spas in Japan.

Dogo Onsen

Certainly one of the most contestable categories.

Three large spas

三大温泉 Sandaionsen

Three famous spas

三名泉 Sanmeisen. Written by Hayashi Razan, father of Hayashi Gaho.

Three ancient baths

三古湯 Sankosen

Three Baths of Fusō

扶桑三名湯 Fusō-sanmeiyu. Fuso is a poetic name from Japan and this is used in travel Haiku of the poet Matsuo Basho.

Shrines

Fushimi Inari, Kyoto

Usa sanctuary, Usa

Kehi Shrine Torii Gate

Three great Inari shrines

三大稲荷 Sandai Inari

Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto
Toyokawa Inari Shrine, Aichi
Saijō Inari Shrine, Okayama o Yūtoku Inari, Kashima

As the head of all Inari shrines, Fushimi Inari Shrine is naturally one of the top three, but there is little historical or current consensus on the others. After Fushimi Inari, the list varies according to the source. Some also suggest Takekoma Shrine to Iwanuma and the Kasuma Inari Shrine a Kasama.

Three Tenjin shrines

三大天神 Sandai Tenjin

Kitano Tenman-gū a Kyoto, Kyoto
Dazaifu Tenman-gū a Dazaifu, Fukuoka
Hōfu Tenman-gū a Hofu, Yamaguchi

All Tenjin shrines (Tenmangu) are dedicated to the worship of Sugawara Michizane. This list of the top three actually highlights his exile from Kyoto to Dazaifu. Along the way, he stopped at Hofu and built the first Tenjin shrine. The sanctuaries' official dedication to his figure began after his death, when it was believed that a series of natural disasters and tragedies in the capital were caused by his restless soul seeking revenge for his unfair exile. The Kitano Tenmangu was built to pacify him.