What are gorgeous, must-see sights in Japan?

Yanaka area in Nippori, Tokyo. It doesn't get nearly the tourist traffic most areas in Tokyo get but Yanaka is a nice area to stroll around with it's temples, shrines, cemetery, and golden Buddhist statue.

Zojo-ji Temple in Hammatsucho, Tokyo very few tourists as oppose to Senso-ji in Asakusa. If you go around 5pm you can see them ring the temple bell and listen to the priests chanting inside the temple.

Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture - once the Kyoto of the North before it was destroyed thus becoming the subject of one of Basho's haiku. They still have two nice temples and Kojikido - a small golden temple.

http://hiraizumi.or.jp/en/index.html

Kamakura is probably already on your list (if not, it should be!) but there is a nice easy-going hiking path from Kita-Kamakura which leads to the Great Buddha. Along the way, there is a shrine which you pass thru a tunnel to get to where you can wash your money.

If you make it down to Kyushu, you should check out Yoshinogari, a reconstruction of an ancient capital from nearly 2000 years ago. You can see how the high and low lived back then.

http://www.yoshinogari.jp/en/

Asuka, often overlooked in lieu of nearby Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka has some nice sites which see by renting a bicycle. There are old temples, one with the oldest Buddha statue in Japan, and old tombs known as kofun. It's very much the countryside and a great place to ride a bicycle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asuka,_Yamato

In Nagano, 40 minutes from Nagano City is Yudanaka where you can see snow monekys or hot springs monkeys bathing in hot springs called onsen.

http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2006/08/06/japane...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzfS8MBq-D0&feature...

My favorites are Nikko (marvelous), Kanazawa (my 2nd fashionable place ,at any time of year), Takayama (captivating city,with a super old city area), Shirikawa-bypass (super in spring and summer, outstanding in wintry climate), Sendai(captivating in spring and summer ,a city interior the country) , Hirosaki (the perfect Sakura viewing by skill of a protracted shot) and Osaka (super at any time, plenty to be certain and do, perfect nutrients and nightlife,notably stay music,super people).Tokyo is a ought to be certain ,make up your guy or woman strategies although, don't be swayed by skill of comments.

It depends on WHEN you visit Japan.

I would say HAKONE and ATAMI is a must see area.

I really liked visiting MOA MUSEUM of ART and HAKONE MUSEUM.

You can enjoy JAPANESE HOT SPRING (ONSEN) there too.

I hope you enjoy your stay in Japan !

Tokyo - Asakusa. (see: Wikipedia). Don't miss it.

abenobashi...