Osaka
#3 in Best Places to Visit in Japan
Situated about 35 miles southwest of Kyoto, this port city is worth a visit for its food alone. One of the city’s most famous dishes, the tasty pancake-like okonomiyaki (which means «grilled as you like it» in Japanese), is made with batter, cabbage and your choice of meat and other toppings. After you’ve gotten your fill of the delectable local cuisine, explore the flashy Dotonbori neighborhood, check out the reconstructed 16th-century Osaka Castle or head to contemporary sights like Universal Studios Japan and the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.
Hiroshima
#4 in Best Places to Visit in Japan
For many, Hiroshima brings up memories of war, as the city is where the world’s first atomic bomb attack occurred in 1945. But today, Hiroshima is a city of peace, with monuments and memorials like the Peace Memorial Park, the Children’s Peace Monument and the UNESCO-certified Atomic Bomb Dome. It is also a city of great beauty. Travelers can take a scenic stroll through Shukkeien Garden, peruse the exhibits at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art or visit Sandankyo Gorge to hike or boat past its beautiful waterfalls, caves and coves.
