
Central Honshū


Nuttapoom Amornpashara / 500px
Overview
Central Honshū (本州中部; Honshū Chūbu) is Japan's heartland, stretching out between the sprawling metropolises of Greater Tokyo and Kansai. The awesome Japan Alps rise sharply near the border of Gifu and Nagano Prefectures before rolling north to the dramatic Sea of Japan coast.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Kanazawa
This Edo-period garden draws its name (kenroku means 'combined six') from a renowned Sung-dynasty garden in China that dictated six attributes for…
Central Honshū
A National Treasure, Japan's oldest standing castle is said to have originated as a fort in 1440. The current donjon (main keep), built atop a 40m rise…
Nagano Region
Founded in the 7th century, National Treasure Zenkō-ji is home to the revered statue Ikkō-Sanzon, said to be the first Buddhist image to arrive in Japan …
Central Honshū
Due to war, earthquakes and development, few Meiji-era buildings have survived here. In 1965 this open-air museum was created to preserve this unique…
Matsumoto
Must-see Matsumoto-jō is Japan's oldest wooden castle and one of four castles designated National Treasures – the others are Hikone, Himeji and Inuyama…
Nagano Region
Comprising three sub-shrines, Togakushi-Hōkōsha, Togakushi-Chūsha and Togakushi-Okusha, each a few kilometres apart, Togakushi-jinja honours the 1911m…
Kanazawa
Adjacent to the Kanazawa Castle Park, this feudal pleasure garden was first constructed in 1634 but abandoned in the Meiji era. Its five-year…
Nagoya
Although the current buildings were completed in 1966, Atsuta-jingū has been a shrine for over 1900 years and is one of the most sacred Shintō shrines in…
Plan with a local

Articles
Latest stories from Central Honshū
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Wildlife & Nature
Scenic treks through the sacred mountains of Japan’s Gifu and Ishikawa PrefecturesMar 18, 2021 • 5 min read
- SkiingSteamy, snowy, stunning: Gunma Prefecture has something for everyone
Sep 30, 2020 • 5 min read
- ArticlesThis cherry blossom tree in Japan is built with over a record-breaking 800,000 Lego bricks
Apr 18, 2018 • 1 min read
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