Japanese culture: must-see?

So I thought I'd kick-start us with the most useful thing I can think of at this time of night(seeing as how I'm about eight hours ahead of you all) :
Tell us your must-see spots in Japan!

It doesn't matter whether it's an amazing temple or your favourite noodle store, but please share with us what you think everyone who's going to Japan should see at least once!

My recommendation is Todaiji in Nara. It's the biggest wooden building in the world!

Aside from being amazing on the outside, there are massive Buddhas and other amazing statues to be found inside! Even if you just want to go to see the deer roaming free all through the temple complexes of Nara, this is definitely a spot I think everyone should visit, given the chance.

Actually, what I liked the most about Todaiji was the combination with the scenery surrounding it, like this:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs405.snc3/24519_1403562126578_1158101174_1189703_5565604_n.jpg

(praying the link does work >< I fail so much at everything nowadays, it`s horrible XD)

All the deers are pretty cool as well =)


Either way, I`d recommend just walking/taking the bus to anywhere and see whatever is there, sometimes you`ll find the most awesome things.

But if I have to say specific things, I`d say Kiyomizudera in Kyoto and everything surrounding it, especially around hanami time. There`s people everywhere then, but it`s so pretty <3
Also, I forgot the name, but the restaurant where we had lunch then was really good (a big bowl of tempura udon with an awesome view over the city, for ￥850, I`d say that`s a pretty good deal). Good luck on finding it though XD

Kyoto > Arashiyama > Monkey park. Go there. Now. Screw the oral exam of next week. Get a last minute ticket. Go go go.

Kyoto > on the lower grounds at Kiyomizudera. Like Charlotte said, maybe too late now, but go there around the time of hanami high time. Lots and lots and lots of delicious foods shops around there and enough to see. And the price was indeed very good compared to the 3000 yen restaurants surrounding it. But, I've had better bowls at cheaper places ^.~

Any Yosakoi event. Simply because it rocks.

Osaka > Tennouji > Fuugetsu(風月). Pretty famous okonomiyaki place. They make it for you, right infront of you. (Many places make it in the kitchen and then place it on the hot plate before you) And it's goooood.

You guys make me wanna go to Japan......now!!!　

I've never been there myself, but I saw some sceneries when I was watching a drama.
Googled it and stuff... Furano, Hokkaido....the nature there seems awsome....

And thanks for the tips....I'll be making a list I guess

I second-rec Arashi-yama in Kyoto, not particularly the Monkey park, but the place in general. It's very beautiful and they sell awesome food over there.

Tokyo > Ikebukuro > TENGU which is a restaurant, located near that famous 'park' (Ikebukuro West Gate Park, anyone?) it's somewhere on the nth level of a building, but the food is awesome and the people were really friendly over there.

Nabari > Akame waterfalls which might be a little out of the way for people not in Nabari, but it's really worth the look. It's basically a long hike through a forest/mountain area with 48 waterfalls, varying in shape and size.

Nikkou > National Park which is very, very popular amongst tourists, but not solely without reason. next to the the park is the Shinkyou, or the 'bridge of the gods', and in the park itself you can find the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, amongst a lot of other amazing temples and shrines and general things-to-see.

Nagoya > Port of Nagoya Aquarium is an amazingly big aquarium with dolphins and all sorts of freaky sea creatures from across the globe. It's located near the harbor port, so there is lots of amazing sea & water-related stuff you can see and do over there. The food in the restaurants in the mall connected to it is very delicious as it is mostly fresh seafood (weirdly enough, near the parking lot of this aquarium you can see the remains of what once was an Italian Theme Park.... XD)