Places ashleypinnick Wants to Go

Ruins and statues dot the landscape of this tiny island rich with royal history.

A dilapidated amusement park with a million-dollar view.

Inside the columbarium, thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guard the ashes of the dead.

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

The only thing sweeter than the potatoes is the canine proprietor of this roadside stall.

An unexpected curiosity cabinet hidden within a department store in the Japan Post tower.

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

Thirty architectural gems from the 19th- and early 20th-century Tokyo were restored and relocated to this space.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.

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.”

Starship-temple contains 400 tons of drinking water and offers free Japanese lessons.

The self-mummified monks of Japan.

Shrine to Japanese water-goblins, complete with their preserved body parts.

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese shrine.

Japanese island famous for poison gas and fluffy bunnies.

Open-air museum with an elaborate sculpture garden, stretching for over 70,000 square-meters.

This historical theme park celebrates all things noodle.

Every color in the rainbow awaits.

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

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

This spa theme park lets its guests take a dip in pools of coffee, wine, or ramen broth.

Hanging over one of Japan’s “hidden valleys,” these vine bridges must be remade every three years.