Places elizabethclmns Wants to Go

A Japanese corporation has turned this small island town into living modern art gallery.

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.

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

A museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo's often-overlooked working-class district.

One of Kyoto's oldest food establishments has supplied soba noodles to temple priests and the Imperial Palace.

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

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

Established over a thousand years ago, this family-run teahouse continues to serve skewers of sweet rice cake to this day.

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

A 70-foot-deep ice cave formed by lava from Mt. Fuji on the edge of Japan's "Suicide Forest." 

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

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

A beautiful, dense forest in the shadow of Mount Fuji, with a tragic reputation.

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

On Japan's Tashirojima Island, cats are king.

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

The sound of swaying stalks in this stunning grove has been named a governmentally recognized sound.

A glimpse into life in 1830s Tokyo, back during the heyday of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Home to a legend of the supernatural raccoon dog, a rare wooden structure of Edo, and witnesses of the Tokyo bombings.

One of the few surviving World War II-era air-raid shelters in Tokyo.

People from around the world visit the shrine of Japan’s legendarily loyal dog.

An ordinary pond with fish from out of this world.