Three Views of Japan

Matsushima, Japan

The Three Views of Japan is the canonical list of Japan's three most celebrated scenic sights, attributed to 1643 and scholar Hayashi Gahō. The views are of the eponymous pine-clad islands of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture; the pine-clad sandbar of Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture; and Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture. All three are designated Special Places of Scenic Beauty, while Itsukushima is also a Special Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.