1 of 10

Mitama Festival, TokyoThousands of paper lanterns light up the evening at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during the Mitama Matsuri. The midsummer celebration honors ancestral spirits.

Photograph by Toru Hanai, Reuters

Travel 365: Best of September 2013

Explore top destinations and travel inspiration featured in National Geographic’s September 2013 issue.

October 2, 2013

National Geographic Expeditions

Travel with National Geographic

Related Topics

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

You May Also Like

You submitted your top photos to our Best of the World Your Shot Challenge—here are our favorites

Where to travel in September

The best places in the world to travel to in 2026

Yamagata Prefecture might just be Japan’s best-kept secret

In Spain’s Basque Country, experience art, culture, and the world’s best dining

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2025 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved