Places ladyleamarie Wants to Go

Birthplace of the Tendai sect and home to the marathon monks.

This historic castle is one of the oldest and most impressive in all of Japan.

A rare example of an ancient Japanese hill castle believed to be the fortress of a legendary demon.

One in a pair of subterranean caves created by an ancient eruption of Mount Fuji.

An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

Have a soak at this retro bathhouse, where you will find Japan's first electric bath, tiling from Spain, and wood carvings representing the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

A small Japanese village claims to be the final resting place of the son of God (and God's other son's ear).

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

This brothel-turned-restaurant features plenty of surprises and elaborate, extravagant architecture.

Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

Existing for more than four centuries, the last of Hakone’s historic teahouses serves a sweet, mold-based rice drink.

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.

Elaborate series of tunnels where traces of mass suicide are still visible.

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

We heard you like volcanoes so we put a volcano in your volcano so you can die for sure...

A steaming, boiling hellscape sources Hokkaido's thermal baths.

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

Unusual hexagonal rocks formed by cooling lava named for their resemblance to traditional Japanese tatami mats.

Abandoned Japanese ghost town gives a glimpse into what our own metropolises may leave behind.

Stuck in a bygone era, the oldest subterranean shopping street in Japan hides beneath the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo.

Established over a thousand years ago, this family-run teahouse continues to serve skewers of sweet rice cake to this day.