Kyoto Prefecture borders Hyogo Prefecture to the East. Obviously, the city of Kyoto is a great destination for any tourist in Japan, due to its abundance of historical and cultural sites, such as Kiyomizu Temple and the Imperial Palace. Uji is also worthwhile, with the famous Byodoin Temple, Ujigami Shrine, and Manpukuji Temple. If you are in northern Hyogo, Amanohashidate is a worthwhile destination, with its main attraction being the view, considered to be one of Japan's Top 3 views.
Tottori Prefecture meets Hyogo on the northwestern border. The city of Tottori is most famous for the Tottori Sand Dunes, the only sand dunes in Japan, as well as the Kannon-in Garden and Kawahara Castle.
Okayama Prefecture lies to the west of Hyogo. Bizen, located close to Hyogo, is where the famous Bizen swords and Bizen pottery were first made, and there are museums with artifacts and information about making them. The capital, Okayama, features one of Japan's Top 3 gardens, Korakuen Garden, along with Saijo Inari, one of Japan's Top 3 Inari shrines. The city also has a wide variety of museums and Okayama Castle, the famous black castle. The city of Tsuyama features Shurakuen Garden, the historic Joto Street, and Kakuzan Park, which contains the ruins of Tsuyama Castle and is a great place for cherry blossom viewing. Kurashiki is well known for its charming Bikan historic district, a well preserved and quite large area filled with historic buildings, shops, and museums.
Osaka Prefecture is located to the southeast. The modern city of Osaka features a wide variety of shopping areas, such as Namba and Umeda. This city also features a variety of museums and cultural sites, such as the Kaiyukan, an excellent aquarium, and the famous Osaka Castle. For historic sites, Sumiyoshi Shrine is a great destination, along with Shitennoji Temple. In the city of Sakai lies the Nintoku Tomb, the largest burial mound in Japan. In Suita City one can visit Expo Memorial Park, which is where the 1970 World Expo was held. The famous Tower of the Sun can be seen here.
