Places BenMears Wants to Go

A bibliophile's heaven that contains hundreds of bookstores, offering over a third of secondhand books for sale in Tokyo.

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

Iconic Japanese movies were made at this forgotten film-studio-site-turned-mall.

An ancient mountain-cut pass runs largely forgotten in the suburbs of Kamakura.

A romantic escape inspired by the legend of a child-eating five-headed dragon.

Japan's legendary filmmaker is interred in a small graveyard in a similarly modest temple in Kamakura.

It is said that coins washed in the waters here will miraculously multiply.

Narrow passes cut out of mountains surround the medieval capital of Japan.

The former home of queer novelist Yoshiya Nobuko memorializes her contributions to modern-day manga.

In the former treasury of a popular temple, a rare sculptural depiction of Kannon’s diverse avatars.

Open since 1690, this former teahouse makes “strength mochi” based on the centuries-old recipe.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

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

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

A Japanese cat island also populated by the descendants of a band of banished samurai.

This pond is so stunning it looks like you've stepped into one of Monet's masterpieces.

Legend holds eating just one of these black eggs can add seven years to one's life.

The only museum dedicated to the American street artist is in rural Japan.

According to one legend, this bridge was crafted after monkeys formed a body-bridge across the gorge.

Reportedly 1,400 years old, this may be the first of the Fiji Mermaids.

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.

The U.K.'s first underground railway line is now a lively thoroughfare for runners and cyclists.

A collection of unique objects showcasing the university’s achievements in the medical field.

A public art piece that barely gets recognized, but then that might be the point.