Places CaveVex Wants to Go

A natural wonder with mythological ties to the local Ainu tradition.

Unchanged for decades, World War II-era bullet holes and nostalgic ghost signs still haunt this desolate train station.

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

A bizarre, tuberculosis sanatorium-themed café moonlighting as an underground art gallery.

Home to herbal cosmetics, teas, and a unique set of dolls known as kitchen witches.

This unique museum explores the world of Japanese demons and spirits.

Try maple leaf tempura at the trailside shop that brought it back from oblivion.

This airy five-floor library and museum houses thousands of books and rotating exhibits on Japanese monsters and anime.

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

Huts like this were once a hub for the female divers who collected pearls and seafood off Japan's coasts.

The “bridge of return” is haunted by a myriad of legends, from ghosts to demons to nuptial superstitions.

This one-of-a-kind indie publisher-bookshop specializes in archiving historic red-light districts and niche cultural topics of the Shōwa era.

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

In a rural Japanese town that has committed to sustainable practices, even the hotel is made from recycled materials.

Enjoy a flaming concoction steeped in steampunk, magic, and alchemy at this experimental cocktail bar.

Believed to hold the remains of Japan's most infamous fox spirit, this stone is said to kill those who dare approach.

Tatar Russian in origin, the largest mosque in Japan is now an Ottoman-style Turkish culture center.

Legend has it that centuries ago, a ghost once frequented this candy shop to feed her still-living baby.

A collection of more than 1,000 teddies from nearly any profession.

The only Buddhist temple in Japan dedicated to breasts.

This bathhouse includes an option to soak in radioactive water.

This 400-year-old noodle joint was once frequented by a fox-turned-monk, according to local folklore.

Come for the fish sundae, stay for the collection of Studio Ghibli cat buses.

This cozy café is housed in a repurposed pharmacy originally built in 1927.