How well do you know Japanese travel destinations? Test your knowledge and see how many of these locations around Japan you can identify from photos alone!
A recent posting on the popular Japanese message board site 2Chan challenged commenters to guess where a set of photos had been taken. Each photo was of a different Japanese travel destination, some of them quite famous and others a bit more obscure. Amazingly, even without much detail, the commenters were able to guess where each and every photo was taken!
Even if you have no idea where some of these photos were shot, you’ll still definitely enjoy seeing a bit of the variety Japan has within its borders. We’ve hidden the answers below each photo, but you can easily reveal them by highlighting the black boxes. Let us know how many you get right in the comments!
Cape Soya, located on the northern most point of Hokkaido
Fushimi Inari-taisha, the famous Shinto shrine in Kyoto
Ryugu Jinja, a Shinto shrine in Kagoshima
Goryokaku, a star-shaped fort in Hakodate, Hokkaido
Todaiji Temple, home of the Nara Daibutsu, the enormous Buddhist statue in Nara City
Takachiho Gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture
Cape Kamui in Hokkaido Prefecture
Gunkanjima (better known as Battleship Island) off the coast of Nagasaki
A viewing spot on the cape of Kozakihana, the most western point of Japan’s four main islands
Tsunoshima Bridge, which connects mainland Yamaguchi Prefecture with Tsuno Island and its national park
Katsura Beach in Kouchi Prefecture
Cape Tappi, the northernmost point on the Tsugaru peninsula in Aomori Prefecture
Ooma-machi in Aomori Prefecture
Cape Erimo in Hokkaido
Farm terraces on Noto Peninsula
A beach on Hateruma, an island in the Yaeyama District of Okinawa
Horai Bridge, a wooden bridge built in 1879, in Shizuoka Prefecture
Cap Noshappu, a cape in the north of Hokkaido that offers an excellent view of the ocean
The Kaguraden at Izumo Shrine in Shimane Prefecture
Honen’ike Dam in Kagawa Prefecture
Shirakawa Village in Gifu Prefecture
A torii gate at Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture
Kurshiro Marsh, a national park in Hokkaido
Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter in Kurashiki, Okayama
Tojinbo, a series of cliffs on the Sea of Japan in Fukui Prefecture
A bridge over Sanzu River near Mount Osore in Aomori Prefecture
Cape Chikyu in Hokkaido
Chirihama Beach, in Ishikawa Prefecture, the only place in Japan where you can actually drive on the beach
So, how did you do? We have to admit, quite a few of these photos had us totally stumped! But it was fun looking them up and marking locations on maps for future travel plans. We can’t wait to see some of these destinations with our own eyes some day!
Sources: Hamusoku, 2chan,
Featured image: Imgur (1, 2, 3, 4)
Japanese netizen travels Japan, takes photos of the country’s many (many) awesome cats【Pics】
Japan travel bucket list: top places to visit in each prefecture before you die【Part II】
Kanji quiz time! Can you identify the characters behind Japan’s creative municipal flags?
Nine places to take unforgettable social media photos in Japan
How many have you seen? 18 must-visit sites in Japan 【World Heritage】
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
New Wet Rice Cracker Burger from Dom Dom breathes new life into a “miracle” snack
Krispy Kreme Japan is baking up two new donuts that you can only get at one spot in the country
Google’s first Google Store outside the U.S. is now open in Tokyo
Watch a sumo bout inside Tokyo Tower, at a new restaurant endorsed by two yokozuna
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
12 beautiful Japanese train stations by the sea
10 places in Japan so beautiful it’s practically hard to take a bad picture while you’re there
Photo of snowy Japanese temple wows people around the world
Sakura 2017: The best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan
The best of Japan’s “top 3” tourist hotspots【poll】
Japanese company caught out for over-processing autumn leaves photo at popular tourist site
Japan Travel: 17 Things to do in Oita, Japan’s onsen prefecture
Japanese island with a population less than 10 is a hidden gem you won’t find in travel guides