Places thesoulforgedtc Wants to Go

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

Tokyo’s only Ainu restaurant serves Indigenous food from northern Japan.

This church commemorates a venerable, yet nigh-forgotten woman who dedicated her life to the poor in post-war Tokyo.

All 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac are depicted in anthropomorphized deity form.

Various accidents and illnesses fell upon the developers who tried to remove these historic trees.

Unbeknownst to many, an ancient burial mound hides in plain sight in Ueno Park.

Outside of where Tsukiji Market once stood, these memorials honor the spirits of the fallen fish, shrimp, and eggs used for nigiri.

This shrine, built to protect against destructive waves, is home to two monumental lion heads.

This lesser-visited gallery in a corner of the Tokyo National Museum complex is an architectural beauty dedicated to the ancient treasures of Hōryū-ji.

Tokyo’s “Kitchen Town” hosts a number of shops selling intricate food replicas.

A vending machine dedicated to a beloved seaweed.

This sculpture bears a tragic backstory that may have inspired a hauntingly beautiful children's song.

Installed in 1965, this whimsical slide has spawned a brood of “octopus mountains” across Japan.

A beautiful work of art designed to impress the Allied Forces.

A unique shrine dedicated to the deified skull of a 17th-century Tokyo courtesan.

This “grave” memorializes the 53 rakugo stories that were once banned by the national censorship.

This monument celebrates this shopping district's past history as a feudal silver mint.

Haunted by a giant white snake, this pond is said to bring the rain and pubic hair.

A pair of rivaling shrines dedicated to Lady Oiwa, the most famous vengeful ghost in Japan.

This often-overlooked monument was crafted in the shape of the iconic samurai coin to honor an Edo-period mint.

A painting marks the site of a historic skyscraper destroyed by the Great Kantō earthquake.

A series of smile-themed sculptures created by artists from all over the world fill this Tokyo shopping district.