Places Charles WV Wants to Go

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

This historical theme park celebrates all things noodle.

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

Over 80 years old, this hand-dug tunnel is a Chinese-style portal to another world.

A network of ancient tunnels and vaulted chambers with mystical Buddhist reliefs, built for ascetic training.

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

A colorful, architectural experiment designed to increase a resident's longevity.

A magical place that lets you play in and explore the world of Studio Ghibli.

Curious onlookers have suspected this strange structure is a secret government base.

Off the beaten path along the coastline of Miura, a scenic cliff with an evocative name.

Once an erosional cave, this scenic arch was lifted up above the sea's surface by an earthquake.

This ancient burial site was once thought to be the home of a race distinctive to Ainu folklore.

The world's largest drain sits below the city of Kasukabe, Japan.

This theme park is not in Tokyo, not especially German, and certainly not a village.

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

Cherry blossom season comes early in this Japanese town where pink flowers line the streets and riverbanks.

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

Museum showcases Japanese sexuality and some amazing ocean views.

Fanatical collections of vintage toys, dolls, clothes, and objects.

A bizarre assault of surreal art hiding in bushes and huts on a hill.

The largest seated Buddha statue in Japan is the centerpiece of an abandoned complex in a quiet, seaside town.

Once the main gateway to Tokyo, sneaking through this checkpoint was a capital offense in feudal times.

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

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