The 3 Scenic Views of Japan (日本三景, Nihon Sankei)
Last Updated on 7th March 2025 by Sophie Nadeau
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If you spend any length of time in Japan, then you’ll soon see that there are lists for pretty much every type of monument, attraction, and scenic point. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that since the 17th-century, there has been an official list of the 3 Scenic Views of Japan.
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What are the 3 scenic views?
The three scenic views were actually selected many centuries ago and appear much as they would have done hundreds of years ago. The earliest attestation of the ‘three most scenic views’ dates back to the Edo period, and more specicially, 1643 when they were widely attributed to the Confucian scholar Hayashi Gahō.
He travelled all over Japan on foot and wrote about his experiences in the book “Observations About the Remains of Japan’s Civil Affairs”.
The original three scenic views are:
- Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island (near Hiroshima)
- Matsushima Bay (near Sendai)
- Amanohashidate Sand Bar (in northern Kyoto prefecture)
There are also now three night views, though unfortunately no one quite knows where the 3 scenic night views came from. The Three Night Views (Nihon Sandai Yakei, 日本三大夜景) are also known as the “ten-million-dollar night views”:
- Mount Hakodate (Hakodate- see our Hakodate itinerary)
- Mount Inasa (Nagasaki City- see our Nagasaki itinerary) (I have been here and it is simply breathtaking)
- Mount Maya (Kobe City)
The 3 scenic views
Each of these destinations are places that every traveller to Japan should add to their bucket list and two of the three can be visited as day trips from Kyoto. I have now been to two of the three and was seriously blown away by each of the Nihon Sankei and will do my best to visit the third ASAP!
Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima
Officially named Itsukushima, this beautiful island in the Bay of Hiroshima is nicknamed Miyajima thanks to the abundance of shrines on the island. The entire island is scattered with Shinto and Buddhist shrines, many which lie in the foothills of Mount Misen, the highest point of the island.
Deer are almost everywhere you look and the the most iconic part of the island is Itsukushima Shrine, which is considered to be one of the three scenic views of Japan. The floating Torii gate is even visible when taking a ferry to reach Miyajima thanks to the giant O-Torii gate buried deep into the sand. The Shrine is actually constructed on stilts and sits above the water of the sea.
Amanohashidate
The Amanohashidate Sandbar (天橋立) is a 3km narrow stretch of sand that measures as little as 20 meters across at its narrowest point, spanning the mouth of Miyazu Bay.
Amanohashidate, roughly translating to “bridge to heaven” is named so because of the way it resembles a meandering pathway, connecting heaven and earth when viewed from the mountaintops at either ends of the bay. So beautiful is this sandbar that it’s been named as one of the 3 scenic views of Japan.
There’s also a spot where visitors are encouraged to do ‘Matanozoki’ which means to look upside down through your legs. It’s said that this is the right way to view Amanohashidate and some people say it looks like a dragon ascending to the heavens, others have said it looks like a dragonfly!
Matsushima Bay
Matsushima is a city which can be found in Miyagi Prefecture. It is particularly famous for its breathtaking scenery, including the many nearby pine covered islands which are scattered across Matsushima Bay (the bay itself is considered to be one of the three scenic views of Japan).
Highlights of a visit to Matsushima include boat cruises around the islands (the best time to go is during the spring or fall), visiting historical temples and shrines, and sampling fresh seafood from local restaurants.
One of the most famous spots to check out in in Matsushima is Zuiganji Temple. This Zen Buddhist temple that dates back to the 9th century (828 to be precise). Highlights of the temple include beautiful architecture and intricate wood carvings.
If you want to enjoy scenic panoramic views of Matsushima Bay, then you’ll want to head to Godaido Hall, a small temple hall located on one of the islands.
