Honshu

Overview

Honshu has all the fun and all the attractions.

Tokyo and Kyoto , the imperial cities are both on Honshu. Other big cities with a long history and many sights such as Yokohama and Osaka are on Honshu too. The holy mountain of Mr. Fuji is on the island as well.

Nikko in northern Honshu is definitely worth a visit. It's one of the most historic towns of Japan and the old city centre is still very much in use. The rest of Northern Honshu is less touristed, although cities like Niigata are rich in history and tradition.

In central Honshu, the area around Furukawa is pretty and the Japanese alps are great for hiking in summer and winter sports and activities in winter. Matsumoto and Takayama are good places for exploring the alps. Also in central Honshu is the city of Nagoya , which can be used as a base to visit the Aichi and Gifu prefectures.

The Kansai region, with Kyoto , Nara , Kobe and Osaka , is a must for visitors. Also around Kansai, are Koyasan and Amanohashidate.

In the west Kurashiki is a very charming town. Hiroshima is famous for being bombed in the second world war and a visit to the Peace park is impressive. Although the Seto Naikai or "inland sea" is no longer lined with traditional fishing villages it's still a nice area to spend some time. Pick an island and come to rest in the beautiful surroundings.

All three classic views of Japan (the Nihon Sangei) are...more

History

When to Go

Essentials