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Travel topics > Cultural attractions > Japan's Top 3

After the Three Views were composed in the 17th century, many authors have come up with their own lists of Japanese sites and attractions. While there are countless lists and variations thereof, here is a selection of the best-known ones:

Views

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Three Views

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Amanohashidate's "Bridge to Heaven"

Sankei (三景). The most famous list of them all, attributed to scholar Hayashi Gahō back in 1643. They follow the Snow-Moon-Flower (雪月花) aesthetic with Amanohashidate representing the snow (雪), Matsushima representing the moon (月), and Miyajima representing the flower (花), although the "flowers" are said to actually be the autumn leaves.     

New Three Views

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日本新三景

Three Great Night Views

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View from Mount Inasa

三大夜景 Sandaiyakei

New Three Great Night Views

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新三大夜景 Shin-sandaiyakei

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

Castles

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Himeji Castle
 
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Takahashi
See also: Japanese castles

Three Famous Castles

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三名城 Sanmeijō. A list written by Ogyu Sorai in the Edo Period. He chose these three castles as the top among those designed by Kato Kiyomasa and Todo Takatora who he considered to be the best castle designers. All three are modern reconstructions, since Kumamoto Castle burned down during the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion and Nagoya and Osaka Castles were destroyed during World War II. Himeji Castle, widely recognized as Japan's greatest surviving castle, didn't make the cut back in the late 1600s.

Three Great Mountain Castles

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三大山城 Sandaiyamajiro

Three Great Flatland Mountain Castles

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三大平山城 Sandaihirayamajiro.


Three Famous Gardens

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Korakuen Garden, Okayama
See also: Japanese gardens

三名園 Sanmeien

It is unclear when these gardens were chosen or by whom. The first recorded list dates back to 1899, but a postcard bought by Shiki Masaoka from his visit to Korakuen Garden in 1891 has "Korakuen Garden, Number 1 of the Top 3 Gardens" written on the back. It is widely believed that the gardens follow the "Snow-Moon-Flower" (雪月花) aesthetic coined by a famous Chinese poem by Bai Juyi. Kenrokuen Garden, famous for its snowy scenery, represents the "Snow" (雪), Korakuen Garden, which to this day has an autumn moon-viewing event, represents the "Moon" (月), and Kairakuen, known for its early spring plum blossoms, represents the "Flower" (花). In addition, each of the gardens are strolling gardens built by famous daimyo (The Tokugawa built Kairakuen, the Ikeda built Korakuen, and the Maeda built Kenrokuen) which is also believed to have played a role in which gardens were given the prestigious designation.


Festivals

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Gion Matsuri, Kyoto
 
Nebuta Matsuri, Aomori
 
Gujo Odori, Gujo
 
Konomiya Naked Festival in Inazawa
 
Omagari Fireworks, Daisen

Three Great Festivals

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三大祭り Sandai Matsuri

Three Beautiful Festivals

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日本三大美祭り Nihon Sandai bimatsuri

The beauty list is often referenced interchangeably with the Three Great Float Festivals (日本三大曳山祭り Nihonsandai hikiyamamatsuri), which sometimes features Nagahama's Hikiyama Festival in place of the Chichibu Yomatsuri.

Three Great Obon Festivals

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日本三大盆踊り Nihon Sandai Bon-odori

Three Great Naked Festivals

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日本三大裸祭り Nihon Sandai Hadakamatsuri

Some lists replace the Konomiya Naked Festival with the Hadakabo Festival in Hofu, Yamaguchi or the Furukawa Festival in Hida, Gifu.

Three Great Fireworks

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日本三大花火 Nihon Sandai Hanabi


Hot Springs

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Certainly one of the more hotly contested categories. (No pun intended).

 
Shirahama Onsen

Three Great Hot Springs

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三大温泉 Sandaionsen

Three Famous Springs

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三名泉 Sanmeisen. Authored by Hayashi Razan, father of Hayashi Gahō.

Three Old Springs

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Bathhouse, Dogo Onsen

三古湯 Sankotō, Three Old Hot Springs.

Three Baths of Fusō

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扶桑三名湯 Fusō-sanmeitō. Fusō is a poetic name for Japan and this one is credited to traveling haiku poet Matsuo Basho.

 
Kusatsu Onsen


Shrines

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Three Great Inari Shrines

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Fushimi Inari, Kyoto
 
Usa Shrine, Usa
 
Kehi Shrine's Torii Gate

三大稲荷 Sandai Inari

As the head of all Inari shrines, Fushimi Inari Shrine is naturally one of the top three, but there is little historical or present consensus on the others. After Fushimi Inari, the list varies depending on the source. Takekoma Shrine in Iwanuma and Kasama Inari Shrine in Kasama are also suggested by some. To further confuse things, there is a "Top 5 Inari Shrines" (五大稲荷) list that doesn't contain any shrines in the "Top 3" list

Three Great Tenjin Shrines

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三大天神 Sandai Tenjin

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

Three Great Hachiman Shrines

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三八幡 San Hachiman

Three Great Torii

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三大鳥居 Sandai Torii

Temples

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Three Sacred Grounds

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Okunoin graves on Mount Koya

三大霊場 sandai-reijo

 
Sulphur pit, Mount Osore

Three Famous Big Buddhas

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Great Buddha of Kamakura

三大大仏 Sandai-daibutsu

Three Pagodas

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三名塔 Sanmeitō

Three Hase Temples

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三長谷 Sanhase

Three Kannon Temples

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三大観音 Sandai Kannon

Nature

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Mount Fuji
 
Osugi Gorge
 
Akiyoshido Cave, the largest in Japan
 
Kegon Falls
 
Mount Moriyoshi in Kitaakita
 
Yamataka Jindai-zakura
 
Kitakami Tenshochi in Kitakami

Three Famous Mountains

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三名山 Sanmeizan (Three Famous Mountains), also 三霊山 Sanreizan (Three Sacred Mountains)

Three Clear Water Rivers

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三大清流 Sandai seiryū

Three Gorges

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三大渓谷 Sandai Keikoku

Three Rapid Tides

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三大急潮 Sandai kyūchō

Three Caves

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三大鍾乳洞 Sandai-shōnyūdō

Three Waterfalls

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日本三名瀑 Nihon San-meibaku

Three Pine Groves

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三大松原 Sandai-matsubara

Three Snow Monsters

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三大樹氷 Sandai-juhyo

Certain mountains in northern Japan have the right trees and weather conditions to cover the trees completely in snow to transform them into Juhyo (樹氷) or "Snow Monsters" (also sometimes called "Ice Monsters" in Japanese). These sites were chosen because they feature a good number of snow monsters along with having a ski lift for easy access.

Cherry Blossom Spots

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See also: Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots

三大桜名所 Sandai Sakura Meisho

Cherry Blossom Trees

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三大桜 Sandai-zakura

Night Cherry Blossoms

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三大夜桜 Sandai-yozakura

Three Autumn Colors

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三大紅葉の里 Sandai-momiji-no-sato

Towns

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Vine bridge, Iya Valley
 
Sekigahara Battlefield
 
Kurashiki's Historic District
 
Arita-yaki torii in Arita
 
Chinatown, Yokohama

Three Hidden Regions

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三大秘境 Sandaihikyō

Three Sake Towns

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日本三大酒処 Sandai Sakedokoro

Three Historical Battlefields

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三大古戦場　Sandai-kosenjō

Three Historic Warehouse Towns

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日本三大蔵の町 Sandai Kuranomachi

Three Ceramicware Areas

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三大焼き物 Sandai-yakimono

Three Lacquerware Towns

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日本三大漆器 Sandai Shikki

Three Chinatowns

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三大中華街　Sandai-chūkagai

Three Beautiful Ports

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三大美港 Sandai-bikō

Three Fishery Ports

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三大漁港　Sandai-gyokō

Three morning markets

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三大朝市　Sandai-asaichi

Food

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Kitakata Ramen
 
Sanuki Udon
See also: Japanese cuisine

Soba

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三大そば Sandai-soba, buckwheat noodles

Ramen

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三大ラーメン Sandai-raamen

Udon

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三大うどん Sandai-udon

Beef

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三大和牛 Sandai-wagyu

Some sources also claim Yonezawa Beef (Yonezawa) is one of the top three beefs.

Green Tea

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三大銘茶 Sandai-meicha

Others

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三大美人県 sandai bijin ken

The three prefectures which produce the most beautiful women: Akita, Kyoto and Fukuoka - sorry, no photos.

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