Relatively young compared to many of Japan’s ancient temples and shrines, Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingū) holds deep symbolic and national significance. Completed in 1920, it was constructed to honour the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his beloved consort, Empress Shōken. Emperor Meiji (1852–1912) presided over one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in Japanese history, overseeing the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the rapid modernisation of the nation.

Although not formally declared a public park until 1880, the sacred origins of Nara Park stretch back to 708AD, when Japan’s capital was transferred to the Heijo Palace area, now the city of Nara. As the heart of early Japanese civilisation, Nara became a place where political ambition, religious reverence and spiritual mystery intertwined.

Founded in 1593 by the powerful samurai warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kongōbu-ji was established as a spiritual monument dedicated to immortalising his mother. This temple’s creation was more than just an act of filial piety, it became a lasting symbol of religious devotion and architectural mastery. Nestled in Koyasan, Kongōbu-ji quickly rose to prominence as a central hub for Shingon Buddhism, intertwining Hideyoshi’s legacy with the sacred landscape of Japan.

Mount Kōya, or Kōyasan, was first settled in 819AD by the legendary monk Kūkai, also known as Kōbō Daishi, who introduced esoteric Shingon Buddhism to Japan after studying in China. Nestled in a secluded alpine basin surrounded by eight lotus-like peaks, this sacred site in Wakayama Prefecture was chosen for its geomantic significance and spiritual isolation. By imperial decree in 816, Kūkai began transforming the mountaintop into a monastic haven.

Established in 1236 by an imperial chancellor with ambitions to rival Nara’s grand temples, Tōfuku-ji rose as a monumental testament to Kyoto’s spiritual and architectural aspirations. At its helm was Enni Ben’en (1202–1280), a revered monk fresh from China, where he had immersed himself in Rinzai Zen teachings. Under his guidance, Tōfuku-ji became one of Kyoto’s Five Great Zen Temples, an enduring symbol of Zen’s deep roots in Japan.

Nestled at the base of the sacred Mount Misen on Miyajima Island, Daishoin Temple is a hidden gem that offers a tranquil yet spiritually profound experience for visitors exploring Japan’s rich cultural and religious tapestry. Founded in 806 AD by the revered Buddhist monk Kōbō Daishi, Daishoin is one of the oldest and most prestigious temples of the Shingon sect of Japanese esoteric Buddhism.

Within the quiet, tree lined paths of Ueno Park in Tokyo lies one of Japan’s most elegant yet often overlooked historical treasures, Ueno Tōshō-gū. Built in 1627, this shrine was constructed to honour the memory of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the formidable figure who unified Japan’s fractured feudal domains and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, a regime that would rule Japan in relative peace and stability for over two and a half centuries.

Rising 535 meters above the vast Seto Inland Sea, Mount Misen stands as a sacred peak, enveloped in the mysteries of ancient worship. Located on the island of Itsukushima, this primeval mountain boasts Virgin Forests, designated as a natural monument and botanical museum, within the protective bounds of Setonaikai National Park.

Rarely visited and tucked away at the foot of Kyoto’s Otagi Mountain, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is a temple that feels worlds apart from the polished shrines and crowds of nearby Arashiyama. Moss-laden, quiet and steeped in a peculiar charm, it is best known for the 1,200 stone Rakan statues that dot its grounds, each a unique, hand-carved representation of one of Buddha’s disciples. Their expressions range from joyful to meditative, grinning, laughing, sipping sake, or caught in sil

In the year 774, in the small town of Zentsūji on the island of Shikoku, Japan, a child named Kūkai was born. This child would grow up to become one of the most influential and revered figures in Japanese religious history. Known posthumously as Kōbō-Daishi, Kūkai would not only found the Shingon school of esoteric Buddhism but would also leave a profound legacy that shaped both religious practices and Japanese culture for centuries to come.

Formally known as Rokuonji, the Golden Pavilion is richly adorned with shimmering pure gold leaf and casts an impressive reflection off the surrounding waters of Kyōko-chi, the mirror pond. An icon of Japanese architecture, it is listed as a ‘Historic Monument of Ancient Kyoto’ as a World Heritage Site. The pavilion’s striking beauty, especially when mirrored in the still waters below, exemplifies the harmony between architecture and nature that defines traditional Japanese d

The spacious Ueno Park was established on the grounds of Kan'ei-jiin Temple after the Battle of Ueno, in 1873. Amongst Japan’s first public parks, Ueno now showcases a number of museums and several historically significant monuments which weren’t otherwise destroyed during times of war. In 1924, Ueno Park was presented to the city by Emperor Taishō, receiving the official name that lasts to this day (Ueno Onshi Kōen), the Ueno Imperial Gift Park.

Tucked behind the imposing facade of Kongōbu-ji Temple, the head temple of Koyasan’s esoteric Shingon Buddhism, lies Japan’s largest Zen rock garden, Banryūtei, or “The Garden of the Reclining Dragon.” Far from your average gravel swirls, Banryūtei is a deliberate masterpiece spanning over 2300 square metres. It was established in 1984, some 1150 years after the death of Grand Master Kobo Daishi, as a place of calm contemplation.

Tucked away in the misty northwestern hills of Kyoto, the secluded temple of Adashino Nenbutsuji rests in quiet solemnity. Surrounded by bamboo groves and age-old trees, it is both picturesque and profoundly haunting. In antiquity, this hillside was a final destination for the forgotten dead, those who passed with no family, no mourners and no names.

Bursting with an impressive collection of ancient cultural treasures, Eikan-dō is a sprawling complex of gardens and halls, most famous for its crimson maple leaves in Autumn. Established in 853 at the northern foot of Mount Higashiyama, this temple was a place of learning that nurtured the Pure Land sect it now belongs to.

With over 200,000 tombstones snaking through nearly two kilometre’s of the sacred Wakayama mountain forest, the Okunoin cemetery is the epicentre of ancient Shingon Buddhism and the mausoleum site for one of the most revered men in the religious history of Japan. Tucked away in the shadowy heart of Mount Kōya, Japan’s holiest mountain, Okunoin isn’t just Japan’s largest cemetery it’s a spiritual artery that pulses with esoteric energy, ancient Buddhist tradition and a deeply