Japan's Top 3
After the Three Views were composed in the 17th century, many authors have come up with their own lists of Japanese sites and attractions. While there are countless lists and variations thereof, here is a selection of the best-known ones:
Views
[edit]Three Views
[edit].jpg)
Sankei (三景). The most famous list of them all, attributed to scholar Hayashi Gahō back in 1643. They follow the Snow-Moon-Flower (雪月花) aesthetic with Amanohashidate representing the snow (雪), Matsushima representing the moon (月), and Miyajima representing the flower (花), although the "flowers" are said to actually be the autumn leaves. 
New Three Views
[edit]日本新三景
Three Great Night Views
[edit]
三大夜景 Sandaiyakei
New Three Great Night Views
[edit]新三大夜景 Shin-sandaiyakei
- Kitakyushu seen from Mount Sarakurayama
- Nara seen from Mount Wakakusayama
- Yamanashi seen from Fuefuki River Fruit Park
Castles
[edit]
- See also: Japanese castles
Three Famous Castles
[edit]三名城 Sanmeijō. A list written by Ogyu Sorai in the Edo Period. He chose these three castles as the top among those designed by Kato Kiyomasa and Todo Takatora who he considered to be the best castle designers. All three are modern reconstructions, since Kumamoto Castle burned down during the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion and Nagoya and Osaka Castles were destroyed during World War II. Himeji Castle, widely recognized as Japan's greatest surviving castle, didn't make the cut back in the late 1600s.
Three Great Mountain Castles
[edit]三大山城 Sandaiyamajiro
Three Great Flatland Mountain Castles
[edit]三大平山城 Sandaihirayamajiro.
- Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo
- Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Ehime
- Tsuyama Castle in Tsuyama, Okayama
Three Famous Gardens
[edit]
- See also: Japanese gardens
三名園 Sanmeien
It is unclear when these gardens were chosen or by whom. The first recorded list dates back to 1899, but a postcard bought by Shiki Masaoka from his visit to Korakuen Garden in 1891 has "Korakuen Garden, Number 1 of the Top 3 Gardens" written on the back. It is widely believed that the gardens follow the "Snow-Moon-Flower" (雪月花) aesthetic coined by a famous Chinese poem by Bai Juyi. Kenrokuen Garden, famous for its snowy scenery, represents the "Snow" (雪), Korakuen Garden, which to this day has an autumn moon-viewing event, represents the "Moon" (月), and Kairakuen, known for its early spring plum blossoms, represents the "Flower" (花). In addition, each of the gardens are strolling gardens built by famous daimyo (The Tokugawa built Kairakuen, the Ikeda built Korakuen, and the Maeda built Kenrokuen) which is also believed to have played a role in which gardens were given the prestigious designation.
Festivals
[edit]
.jpg)
Three Great Festivals
[edit]三大祭り Sandai Matsuri
Three Beautiful Festivals
[edit]日本三大美祭り Nihon Sandai bimatsuri
- Gion Festival (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Takayama Festival (Takayama, Gifu)
- Chichibu Yomatsuri (Chichibu, Saitama)
The beauty list is often referenced interchangeably with the Three Great Float Festivals (日本三大曳山祭り Nihonsandai hikiyamamatsuri), which sometimes features Nagahama's Hikiyama Festival in place of the Chichibu Yomatsuri.
Three Great Obon Festivals
[edit]日本三大盆踊り Nihon Sandai Bon-odori
Three Great Naked Festivals
[edit]日本三大裸祭り Nihon Sandai Hadakamatsuri
- Saidaiji Eyo (Okayama, Okayama)
- Wakamiya Shrine Autumn Festival (Bungotakada, Oita)
- Konomiya Naked Festival (Inazawa, Aichi)
Some lists replace the Konomiya Naked Festival with the Hadakabo Festival in Hofu, Yamaguchi or the Furukawa Festival in Hida, Gifu.
Three Great Fireworks
[edit]日本三大花火 Nihon Sandai Hanabi
- Omagari Fireworks (Daisen, Akita)
- Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks (Tsuchiura, Ibaraki)
- Nagaoka Fireworks (Nagaoka, Niigata)
Certainly one of the more hotly contested categories. (No pun intended).
Three Great Hot Springs
[edit]三大温泉 Sandaionsen
Three Famous Springs
[edit]三名泉 Sanmeisen. Authored by Hayashi Razan, father of Hayashi Gahō.
Three Old Springs
[edit]
三古湯 Sankotō, Three Old Hot Springs.
Three Baths of Fusō
[edit]扶桑三名湯 Fusō-sanmeitō. Fusō is a poetic name for Japan and this one is credited to traveling haiku poet Matsuo Basho.
.jpg)
Shrines
[edit]Three Great Inari Shrines
[edit]
.jpg)
三大稲荷 Sandai Inari
As the head of all Inari shrines, Fushimi Inari Shrine is naturally one of the top three, but there is little historical or present consensus on the others. After Fushimi Inari, the list varies depending on the source. Takekoma Shrine in Iwanuma and Kasama Inari Shrine in Kasama are also suggested by some. To further confuse things, there is a "Top 5 Inari Shrines" (五大稲荷) list that doesn't contain any shrines in the "Top 3" list
Three Great Tenjin Shrines
[edit]三大天神 Sandai Tenjin
All Tenjin (Tenmangu) shrines are dedicated to the worship of Sugawara Michizane. This top three list actually highlights his exile from Kyoto to Dazaifu. Along the way, he stopped in Hofu and built the first Tenjin shrine. Official dedication of shrines to him began after his death when a series of natural disasters and tragedies in the capital were believed to be caused by his restless soul seeking vengeance for his unjust exile. Kitano Tenmangu was built to pacify him.
Three Great Hachiman Shrines
[edit]三八幡 San Hachiman
Three Great Torii
[edit]三大鳥居 Sandai Torii
Temples
[edit]Three Sacred Grounds
[edit]
三大霊場 sandai-reijo
Three Famous Big Buddhas
[edit].jpg)
三大大仏 Sandai-daibutsu
Three Pagodas
[edit]三名塔 Sanmeitō
Three Hase Temples
[edit]三長谷 Sanhase
Three Kannon Temples
[edit]三大観音 Sandai Kannon
Nature
[edit]
_01_May,_2012_-_panoramio.jpg)
Three Famous Mountains
[edit]三名山 Sanmeizan (Three Famous Mountains), also 三霊山 Sanreizan (Three Sacred Mountains)
Three Clear Water Rivers
[edit]三大清流 Sandai seiryū
Three Gorges
[edit]三大渓谷 Sandai Keikoku
Three Rapid Tides
[edit]三大急潮 Sandai kyūchō
- Kurushima Strait off Imabari
- Naruto Strait between Awaji Island and Naruto (Tokushima)
- Kanmon Strait between Shimonoseki and Kitakyushu
Three Caves
[edit]三大鍾乳洞 Sandai-shōnyūdō
Three Waterfalls
[edit]日本三名瀑 Nihon San-meibaku
- Nachi Falls
- Kegon Falls
- Fukuroda Falls (Ibaraki Prefecture)
Three Pine Groves
[edit]三大松原 Sandai-matsubara
Three Snow Monsters
[edit]三大樹氷 Sandai-juhyo
Certain mountains in northern Japan have the right trees and weather conditions to cover the trees completely in snow to transform them into Juhyo (樹氷) or "Snow Monsters" (also sometimes called "Ice Monsters" in Japanese). These sites were chosen because they feature a good number of snow monsters along with having a ski lift for easy access.
Cherry Blossom Spots
[edit]- See also: Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots
三大桜名所 Sandai Sakura Meisho
Cherry Blossom Trees
[edit]三大桜 Sandai-zakura
Night Cherry Blossoms
[edit]三大夜桜 Sandai-yozakura
Three Autumn Colors
[edit]三大紅葉の里 Sandai-momiji-no-sato
Towns
[edit]
Three Hidden Regions
[edit]三大秘境 Sandaihikyō
Three Sake Towns
[edit]日本三大酒処 Sandai Sakedokoro
- Fushimi, Kyoto/South
- Nada, Kobe
- Saijō, Higashihiroshima
Three Historical Battlefields
[edit]三大古戦場 Sandai-kosenjō
- Dan-no-ura 1185 (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi)
- Okehazama 1560 (Nagoya, Aichi)
- Sekigahara 1600 (Sekigahara, Gifu)
Three Historic Warehouse Towns
[edit]日本三大蔵の町 Sandai Kuranomachi
Three Ceramicware Areas
[edit]三大焼き物 Sandai-yakimono
Three Lacquerware Towns
[edit]日本三大漆器 Sandai Shikki
Three Chinatowns
[edit]三大中華街 Sandai-chūkagai
Three Beautiful Ports
[edit]三大美港 Sandai-bikō
Three Fishery Ports
[edit]三大漁港 Sandai-gyokō
Three morning markets
[edit]三大朝市 Sandai-asaichi
Food
[edit].JPG)
.jpg)
- See also: Japanese cuisine
Soba
[edit]三大そば Sandai-soba, buckwheat noodles
Ramen
[edit]三大ラーメン Sandai-raamen
Udon
[edit]三大うどん Sandai-udon
Beef
[edit]三大和牛 Sandai-wagyu
Some sources also claim Yonezawa Beef (Yonezawa) is one of the top three beefs.
Green Tea
[edit]三大銘茶 Sandai-meicha
Others
[edit]三大美人県 sandai bijin ken
The three prefectures which produce the most beautiful women: Akita, Kyoto and Fukuoka - sorry, no photos.