billiejeanbradley's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Nikko, Japan

Cedar Avenue of Nikkō

Stretching for 22 miles, the world's longest tree-lined avenue dates back to the early 17th-century.
Utsunomiya, Japan

Nagaoka Hyakuana Burial Mound

This ancient burial cave along a roadside is also home to several Buddhist sculptures.
Nagato, Japan

Mara Kannon

This phallic temple was erected in the forest to honor the tragic death of a samurai lord's son.
Azumino, Japan

Daio Wasabi Farm

The largest of its kind in Japan, this century-old wasabi farm is also known for its appearance in an Akira Kurosawa film.
Mitoyo, Japan

Missing Post Office

A unique art exhibit home to letters addressed to those unable to receive them.
Oga, Japan

The Big Namahage Statues

Two ogres stand guard at the Oga Visitor Center.
Tokamachi, Japan

Kiyotsu Gorge 'Tunnel of Light'

There's light and a dreamlike panorama at the end of this tunnel.
Tokyo, Japan

Site of the Rokumeikan

Here once stood an opulent state guest house that symbolized the Westernization of Japan.
Takasaki, Japan

Yamanoue Stele and Tumulus

The oldest surviving stele in Japan is a personal dedication from a monk to his late mother.
Tokyo, Japan

Niimi Jumbo Cook

Rumored to be a giant robot in disguise, this colossal chef has been the beloved symbol of Tokyo’s kitchenware district for decades.
Ōme, Japan

Showa Retro Packaging Museum

A collection of nostalgic items from the Showa era with an exhibit on the local ghost story of the Snow Woman.
Nagasaki, Japan

Head of the Virgin Mary

The statue's head is one of the few fragments of the original Urakami Cathedral to survive the atomic bomb.
Hatsukaichi, Japan

Kiezu-no-hi (The Eternal Flame)

In 806, Kobo Daishi began meditating on Mount Misen. The Buddhist monk lit this holy fire, which has been kept burning for 1,200 years.
Tokyo, Japan

Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku

This battleship of a building was designed by a famed "mad architect."
Tokyo, Japan

Ad Museum Tokyo

This museum celebrates the history of Japanese advertising, from feudal business tricks to modern T.V. commercials.
Kesennuma, Japan

Kori no Suizokukan

450 dead and frozen fish, proudly on display in Japan.
Mitaka, Japan

Ghibli Museum

A magical place that lets you play in and explore the world of Studio Ghibli.
Ojika-chō, Japan

Nozaki Island

A deserted island in southwest Japan that once sheltered persecuted Christians.
Unzen-shi, Japan

Obama Onsen

Japan's hottest hot spring has a memorable name.
Izumo-shi, Japan

Izumo-Taisha

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.
Nago-shi, Japan

Clinton Home

An exact replica of Bill Clinton's childhood home stands within a resort in Japan.
Utsunomiya, Japan

The Venus of Gyoza

At a Japanese train station, a goddess emerges from a dumpling.
Kawazu, Japan

Kawazu Nanadaru Loop Bridge

An ingenious solution to a tricky engineering problem, this spiraling bridge takes drivers for a dizzying spin.
Tokyo, Japan

Yurei Izakaya

Haunted house kitsch meets Japanese folklore at this theme bar where patrons can “die” and have their own mock funeral.