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Travel topics > Cultural attractions > Japan's Top 3

Japan's Top 3

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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

Three Views

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. Three Views of Japan (Q1144867) on Wikidata Three Views of Japan on Wikipedia 

New Three Views

日本新三景

Three Great Night Views

View from Mount Inasa

三大夜景 Sandaiyakei

New Three Great Night Views

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

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

Three Famous Castles

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

三大山城 Sandaiyamajiro

Three Great Flatland Mountain Castles

三大平山城 Sandaihirayamajiro.


Three Famous Gardens

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

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

Three Great Festivals

三大祭り Sandai Matsuri

Three Beautiful Festivals

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

日本三大盆踊り Nihon Sandai Bon-odori

Three Great Naked Festivals

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

日本三大花火 Nihon Sandai Hanabi


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

Shirahama Onsen

Three Great Hot Springs

三大温泉 Sandaionsen

Three Famous Springs

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

Three Old Springs

Bathhouse, Dogo Onsen

三古湯 Sankotō, Three Old Hot Springs.

Three Baths of Fusō

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

Three Great Inari Shrines

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

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

三八幡 San Hachiman

Three Great Torii

三大鳥居 Sandai Torii

Temples

Three Sacred Grounds

Okunoin graves on Mount Koya

三大霊場 sandai-reijo

Sulphur pit, Mount Osore

Three Famous Big Buddhas

Great Buddha of Kamakura

三大大仏 Sandai-daibutsu

Three Pagodas

三名塔 Sanmeitō

Three Hase Temples

三長谷 Sanhase

Three Kannon Temples

三大観音 Sandai Kannon

Nature

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

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

Top Three Gorges

三大渓谷 Sandai Keikoku

Three Caves

三大鍾乳洞 Sandai-shōnyūdō

Three Waterfalls

日本三名瀑 Nihon San-meibaku

Three Pine Groves

三大松原 Sandai-matsubara

Three Snow Monsters

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

See also: Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots

三大桜名所 Sandai Sakura Meisho

Cherry Blossom Trees

三大桜 Sandai-zakura

Night Cherry Blossoms

三大夜桜 Sandai-yozakura

Three Autumn Colors

三大紅葉の里 Sandai-momiji-no-sato

Towns

Vine bridge, Iya Valley
Kurashiki's Historic District
Chinatown, Yokohama

Three Hidden Regions

三大秘境 Sandaihikyō

Three Sake Towns

日本三大酒処 Sandai Sakedokoro

Three Historical Battlefields

三大古戦場　Sandai-kosenjō

Three Historic Warehouse Towns

日本三大蔵の町 Sandai Kuranomachi

Three Ceramicware Areas

三大焼き物 Sandai-yakimono

Three Lacquerware Towns

日本三大漆器 Sandai Shikki

Three Chinatowns

三大中華街　Sandai-chūkagai

Three Beautiful Ports

三大美港 Sandai-bikō

Three Fishery Ports

三大漁港　Sandai-gyokō

Three morning markets

三大朝市　Sandai-asaichi

Food

Kitakata Ramen
Sanuki Udon
See also: Japanese cuisine

Soba

三大そば Sandai-soba, buckwheat noodles

Ramen

三大ラーメン Sandai-raamen

Udon

三大うどん Sandai-udon

Beef

三大和牛 Sandai-wagyu

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

Green Tea

三大銘茶 Sandai-meicha

Others

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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