Places hotpants038 Wants to Go

A giant statue of the Buddhist goddess of mercy watches over the town of Ōfuna.

Fifty-odd dinosaur footprints are preserved on this strip of mountain cliff along with ancient ripple marks.

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

This Spanish theme park stands out in the Japanese countryside.

Japan’s tallest Godzilla statue contains a piece of the original 1954 film within its base.

This former factory contains an amazing collection of around 400 mint-condition Nissan cars.

Nestled among the bamboos in a temple complex, this art installation serves as a unique memorial to insects.

An adorable intake tower with a “witch hat” stands in the Edo River.

Once known for its eerie appearance, this semicircular monument is all that remains of a Tokyo industrial icon.

A small, family-friendly museum dedicated to the “god of special effects” who brought Godzilla to life.

The northernmost of the 12 surviving feudal castles of Japan is known as a cherry blossom viewing spot.

Home to a garden of poisonous plants and the only legal cannabis and opium farms in Tokyo.

This compact temple is filled with garlands of colorful balls that represent restrained monkeys.

The strange “kaiju” of Lake Imba that allegedly killed over a dozen men with a single strike of lightning.

One of the top 100 sights of feudal Tokyo continues to impress those who visit the lesser temples of Ueno.

A 20,000-year-old fossilized forest is preserved at this unique museum.

Cute manhole covers commemorate the hometown of the real-life Ash Ketchum who created Pokémon.

Installed in 1965, this whimsical slide has spawned a brood of “octopus mountains” across Japan.

The centuries-old cobblestones of a feudal highway remain in the woods of Hakone.

Haunted by a giant white snake, this pond is said to bring the rain and pubic hair.

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

Every summer, this shrine sets up a tiny drinking fountain reserved for thirsty apians.

A natural resemblance of the monster of film lore.

A mile-long trail of pottery culture, full of clay pipes and lucky cats, including one that’s 12.5 feet tall.