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Japan is packed to the brim with entertainment, culture, and other things to do. Many people will visit on a semi-often basis and still have unchecked boxes on their bucket list. But deciding what to do (and what is subsequently worth your time) is the major challenge. In this list, we will tell you 6 things that we think are overrated tourist spots in Japan. While this doesn’t mean we recommend you skip them entirely, we’d feel comfortable saying that these can be lower on your priority list despite the hype surrounding it. Here are 6 overrated tourist spots in Japan:
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
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Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is something you’re likely to see all over Instagram: the line of bamboo trees creating a beautiful photo that looks like something straight out of a movie. However, outside of the carefully edited photos and angles, don’t be deceived: this forest is small. So small that we would be wary of even referring to this as a ‘forest’ and is not nearly as impressive as photos would make you believe. Time of year is also a major factor, as well. Outside of the summer, the bamboo may look a bit less green and majestic. If you just happen to be around the area during the summer, we would say ‘yes’ to a quick visit.
Takeshita Street
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For those looking for the latest ‘kawaii’ trends in Japanese culture, Takeshita Street is where you (might) want to be. It has all the quirky shops and characters you would come to expect, with the added bonus of people dressing up and playing music. However, in recent years it seems this street has become a parody of itself. 10-20 years ago, this was more of the “it” place to be in the center of Japanese culture. Now, it’s full of tourists and passersby that make the experience feel like a zoo, and therefore overrated. If you have no interest in this type of aforementioned culture, then your time would better be spent elsewhere.
Shibuya Crossing
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Ah, good ol’ Shibuya Crossing. There’s absolutely no chance you haven’t seen this marvel of pedestrian movement anywhere else in the world and is one of the most recognizable “tourist” spots in perhaps the entire world, not just Japan. The crossing is located right outside of Shibuya Station. The simple act of standing by and watching the hordes of people cross every light is a spectacle, but is it really worth going out of your way to see? Absolutely not. If you just happen to be in the area (or are visiting nearby), it may be worth taking a few minutes out of your time to watch. Otherwise, you can comfortably skip this.
Tokyo Skytree
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Tokyo Skytree is the tallest structure in Japan and has quite the impressive and expansive views. The cost of entry is slightly perplexing, with visitors expecting to shell out 3,000 yen (approximately $20) for entry. In addition to the views, you can enjoy cafes, restaurants, and other amenities in the Tembo Deck. Between the overpriced food, coffee, price of admission, and the endless waves of tourists that can make navigating the area difficult, we left feeling a little underwhelmed.
Ginza Shopping District
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While those who have visited Japan will tell you that Ginza Shopping District is a “must”, it’s only a “must” if you enjoy luxury shopping. Otherwise, we say you can skip this and confidently say you didn’t miss out on much. If you are to go and aren’t a shopper, we’d recommend marveling at the more sophisticated style of architecture that you likely wouldn’t find many places elsewhere in Japan. Many visitors will remark that the crowds are too large to truly enjoy this area.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
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The Fushimi Inari Shrine is beautiful and a must-visit, but considering the vast numbers of tourists that congregate here at almost all times of year, it isn’t a huge miss if you end up not going. It is, after all, often known as one of Kyoto’s top tourist destinations. And for good reason, the beautiful red gates will take you all the way up to the top of the mountain and will take you around 2 hours to complete. The issue is, however, we feel the sights can get old after a while. Add on top of that relentless waves of tourists to dodge taking pictures, and it’s a less than ideal time.
