Special Places of Scenic Beauty: 36 Gardens and Scenic Spots Designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs

SO36 spots

Special Places of Scenic Beauty are designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as those among the nationally designated Places of Scenic Beauty that are of particularly high value, representing Japan's leading gardens and scenic spots. From daimyo gardens such as Kenrokuen, Okayama Korakuen, and Ritsurin Garden, to Matsushima, Amanohashidate, Kamikochi, Mt. Fuji, and Miyajima, all 36 locations are compiled in regional order. Please use this for planning your trip to explore gardens and superb views.

Note: This list contains advertising (affiliate links).

Japan, Lake Towada

Caldera lake straddling Aomori and Akita, and the clear stream beauty of Oirase Gorge.

Japan, 〒029-4102 Iwate Prefecture, Nishi-iwai District, Hiraizumi Town, Hiraizumi Osawa 58

Iwate: A Pure Land garden in Hiraizumi. World Heritage site centered around the Great Pond.

Japan, Miyagi Prefecture, Miyagi District, Matsushima Town

One of Japan's Three Most Scenic Views. Over 260 islands floating in Miyagi's Matsushima Bay.

Japan, 113-0021 Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Komagome 6-16-3

Tokyo, Bunkyo: A stroll garden with artificial hills and ponds (designed by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu).

Japan, 112-0004 Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Koraku 1-6-6

Tokyo: A daimyo garden associated with the Tokugawa family of Mito.

Japan, 〒104-0046 Tokyo, Chuo City, Hamarikyu Teien 1-1

A garden of the Shogun family with a tidal pond in Tokyo Bay.

Japan, 〒400-1214 Yamanashi Prefecture, Kōfu City, Kōsei Town

Yamanashi: Valley beauty and Kakuenbo created by granite.

Japan, Kamikochi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture 390-1516

Nagano: A mountain scenic spot woven by the Hotaka mountain range and the Azusa River.

Japan, 418-0112 Shizuoka Prefecture, Fuji-Miyako City, Fuji-san, Kitayama

Japan's tallest, most beautiful, independent peak. World Cultural Heritage.

Japan, 938-0283 Toyama, Kurobe City, Kurobe Gorge Entrance 11

Toyama: Japan's deepest V-shaped gorge. Known for its trolley trains.

Japan, 920-0936 Ishikawa, Kanazawa City, Kenrokumachi 1

Kanazawa: A stroll garden counted among Japan's Three Great Gardens.

Japan, 910-2153 Fukui Prefecture, Fukui City, Kido-no-uchi-cho

Fukui - Various gardens remaining at the site of the mansion of the Sengoku daimyo, the Asakura clan.

Japan, 626-0001 Kyoto Prefecture, Miyazu City, Monju

One of the Three Great Views of Japan. A pine-lined sandbar separating Miyazu Bay in Kyoto.

Japan, 603-8231 Kyoto, Kita Ward, Murasakino Daitokuji-cho 54-1

Kyoto: A dry landscape garden within a sub-temple of Daitoku-ji.

Japan, 603-8231 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Kita Ward, Murasakino Daitokuji-cho 53

Kyoto - Daitoku-ji of the Rinzai sect's Hojo karesansui (dry landscape garden).

Japan, 〒603-8361 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Kita Ward, Kinkakuji-cho 1

Kyoto: A garden with Mirror Pond reflecting Kinkaku. World Heritage site.

Japan, 616-8001 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Ryōanji Goryō no Shita-chō 13

Kyoto: A dry landscape garden famous for its rock garden. World Heritage site.

Japan, 606-8402 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Sakyo Ward, Ginkakuji-cho 2

Kyoto - A garden where Ginkaku and Kinkyo-chi harmonize. World Heritage.

Japan, 616-8044 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Hanazono Oginomachi 49

Kyoto: A pond garden from the Heian period with an artificial waterfall.

Japan, 616-8385 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Sagatenryuji Susuki no Babachō 68

Kyoto: A Sogenchi Garden that uses Arashiyama as borrowed scenery. World Heritage site.

Japan, 604-8301 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Nakagyo Ward, Nijo Castle Town 541

Kyoto - A shoin garden called Hachin no Niwa. World Heritage.

Japan, 606-8435 Kyoto, Sakyo Ward, Nanzenji Fukuchi-cho 86-12

Kyoto: A crane and turtle garden (Kobori Enshu) within a sub-temple of Nanzenji.

Nishi Hongan-ji (Ryukoku Honzan Hongan-ji)

Japan, 600-8501 Kyoto, Shimogyo Ward, Horikawa Dori Hanaya-cho Sagaru Hon-Honganji Monzen-cho

Kyoto: A dry landscape garden facing the shoin of Nishi Hongan-ji.

Japan, 615-8286 Kyoto Prefecture, Nishikyo Ward, Matsuo Kaminoguchi-cho 56

Kyoto - A moss-covered pond-and-stream garden. World Heritage.

Japan, 22 Daigo Higashi-Oji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 601-1325

Kyoto: A garden personally designed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. World Heritage site.

Japan, 〒619-1135 40 Nishi-kozuruba, Kamocho, Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture

Kyoto: Nine Amida Buddhas and a Pure Land style pond garden.

Heijo-kyo Sakyo Sanjo Ni-bo Palace Site Garden

Japan, 630-8013 Nara Prefecture, Nara City, Sanjo-Oji 1-chome, 5-38

Nara - A garden that conveys the曲水の宴 (kyokusui no en - banquet of the flowing water) of the Nara period.

Japan, 630-8001 Nara, Nara City, Hokkeji-cho 480

Nara: A garden restored at the Heijo Palace Site. World Heritage site.

Japan, 519-5417 Mie, Kumano City, Kiwa-cho Oguchi Dōgyō

Nara/Wakayama/Mie: A gorge with cliffs and clear streams forming the prefectural border.

Japan, 703-8257 Okayama Prefecture, Okayama City, Kita Ward, Kōrakuen 1

Okayama - A daimyo garden counted among Japan's Three Great Gardens.

Japan, 731-3813 Hiroshima Prefecture, Yamagata District, Akiota Town, Shibaki, Sandan-kyō

Hiroshima: Deep valley beauty of the upper reaches of the Ota River.

1-1 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima 739-0588, Japan

Hiroshima: Miyajima. A great torii gate and shrine buildings on the sea. World Heritage site.

Japan, 760-0073 Kagawa Prefecture, Takamatsu City, Ritsurin-cho 1-chome 20-16

Takamatsu - A daimyo garden that uses Mt. Shiun as borrowed scenery.

Japan, 847-0022 Saga Prefecture, Karatsu City, Kagami

Saga: One of Japan's Three Great Pine Groves along Karatsu Bay.

Japan, Unzen, Kunimi Town, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Nagasaki: A volcanic group with Mt. Fugen as the main peak.

Japan, 902-0072 Okinawa Prefecture, Naha City, Shinji 421-7

Okinawa - A stroll garden built as a secondary residence for the Ryukyu royal family. World Heritage.

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