Legends in Tokyo

This 400-year-old noodle joint was once frequented by a fox-turned-monk, according to local folklore.

Here lies Hattori Hanzō, a samurai who is remembered as a legendary ninja in today’s popular culture.

According to local legend, an ancient serial killer nicknamed the “Hag” once haunted this pond.

Rumored to be a giant robot in disguise, this colossal chef has been the beloved symbol of Tokyo’s kitchenware district for decades.

A few hidden stones are said to bring fortune and love.

Although damaged beyond recognition, this stone god is still said to bring good luck to those who tap on him with a pebble.

A cursed torii gate still stands on the edge of Haneda Airport, decades after its shrine's relocation.

A shrine dedicated to a 10th-century samurai emperor, whose head is not buried on site (contrary to popular belief).

A flight of this "ghost staircase" has 40 steps on the way up, but only 39 steps on the way down.

This water goblin statue represents a 19th-century urban legend about a haunted canal that became a Japanese idiom.

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.