Places aridigi Wants to Go

Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.

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

A train ride to the middle of nowhere gives its passengers some of the most iconic views of Japan's seasons.

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.

The sound of swaying stalks in this stunning grove has been named a governmentally recognized sound.

The home and studio of one of Japan's most avant-garde artists is now a museum showcasing his surreal works.

Overlooked by many, this tiny sacred island in Ueno Park only opens to the public every 12 days.

Thousands of foxes are said to gather and parade across the neighborhood of Ōji on New Year’s Eve.

A grand Buddhist temple with Indian influences.

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

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.

Japan’s tallest Godzilla statue contains a piece of the original 1954 film within its base.

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

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

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

The only Kurdish restaurant in Japan invites you to learn and feast.

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

An eclectic temple with Chinese architecture, Korean lion-dogs, an Indian god and a legendary 700-year-old tree.