Most famous religious destinations in Asia
Most famous religious destinations in Asia
Historic temple complexes and ancient sacred shrines across Asia
Most of the world's big religions started in Asia, so it is no surprise that the continent has a huge number of temples, shrines and mosques worth traveling for, whatever you believe.
Some travelers head straight for the famous ones, like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Golden Temple in Amritsar or the many shrines and temples of Kyoto. Others prefer the quieter experience of staying overnight in a Buddhist monastery or watching monks collect alms in the early morning before the tour buses arrive. Keep in mind that dress codes and rules can be strict in many places, so covering your shoulders and knees and taking off your shoes is often part of the visit.
A temple complex like Angkor can easily fill a full day or more, while a small village shrine might only take ten minutes, and you could be the only visitor there, apart from a sleepy cat or two.
Lists by region
City in Japan
Nara
Giant Buddha, tame deer and ancient temples
Todaiji Temple has a bronze Great Buddha 15 meters tall. It sits inside one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. Japan made Nara its capital in 710, nearly a century before Kyoto. More than a thousand wild deer roam Nara Park and bow for crackers.
Island in Japan
Miyajima
Torii in the sea, deer and Mount Misen
Warlord Taira no Kiyomori built the shrine in its present form in 1168. At high tide the red torii gate seems to float in the sea. At low tide visitors walk out across the sand to touch its legs. Deer roam Miyajima, an island that has long been seen as sacred.
Town in Japan
Nikko
Tokugawa shrines, waterfalls and hot springs
Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu died in 1616. His shrine at Nikko, called Toshogu, opened the next year. His grandson rebuilt it in 1636 with gold leaf and bright carvings. Look for the three wise monkeys and a sleeping cat. Cedar trees line the path up to Ieyasu's tomb.
City in Japan
Kyoto
Temples, geisha districts and kaiseki dining
Where Tokyo feels modern, this old capital has about 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. Thousands of red torii gates, which mark sacred ground, climb the mountain at Fushimi Inari. Kiyomizu Temple clings to a hillside on tall wooden pillars. Monks chant at dawn in quiet halls.
City in Japan
Ise
Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine city
The shrine for Amaterasu, the Shinto sun goddess, is rebuilt every 20 years. This has gone on for about 1,300 years. Visitors cross the Uji Bridge and walk under tall cedars to the Inner Shrine. Nearby Okage Yokocho street sells akafuku, a sweet rice cake with red bean paste.
Other lists you may like
Discover
Top religious sites and sacred destinations
For a lot of people, visiting a famous religious site is one of the most memorable parts of a trip, whether they are believers or just curious about how other people live and pray.…
Read more
Discover
Most famous religious destinations in Africa
Africa has some of the oldest churches and mosques in the world, and religion is still a big part of everyday life across most of the continent. In Ethiopia, the rock-cut…
Read more
Discover
Most famous religious destinations in Europe
Europe's cities are full of churches, and for a lot of travelers, even ones who rarely go to church at home, a famous cathedral is one of the first things they visit after…
Read more
Discover
Most famous religious destinations in North America
North America is not the most obvious choice for religious travel, but it has a lot more to offer than most people expect, with old Spanish missions, grand basilicas and sites that…
Read more
Discover
Most famous religious destinations in Oceania
Oceania is not usually the first place people think of for religious travel, but the region has some of the oldest sacred traditions on earth and plenty of places where faith is…
Read more
Discover
Most famous religious destinations in South America
Religion in South America is often a mix of Catholic traditions brought by the Spanish and Portuguese and much older Indigenous beliefs, and in many places you can see both side by…
Read more
What other users say about travelfilters
“travelfilters made it easy for me to find ski areas and compare what else they offer, so that I could find the best place for my personal travel style.”
Chris
Snowboarding & Onsen trip to Japan
“I love how transparent the data feels. There is no pushy upsell, just honest information and settings I can tune to my own travel style.”
Maria
After booking her 2027 winter escape
“The level of detail for each destination and how well those are displayed, make planning feel confident instead of overwhelming.”
Mina
Planned a week in New York City
“We used travelfilters for our planning from start to end. The trip turned out even better than expected, thanks to all their tools and customization options.”
Allan & Etienne
Trip to Japan to see autumn foliage
“Thanks to travelfilters, I found some hidden gems to see. Being able to filter for exactly your interests is a game changer for my travel planning.”
Michael
Tour through the old cities of Northern Italy
“The customizable filters helped me find a quiet beach town with good wifi and low season crowds in under five minutes.”
Diego
Weekend Escape to Llanes, Spain
“The airport connection map saved me hours by showing good flight options from my home airport to lesser-known cities.”
Nguyen
Planning a 2027 trip to France
“The website is clean, fast and focused on the search itself, which makes travelfilters feel more like a professional tool than an ad-heavy booking site.”
Hassan
Christmas Market trip, Germany
