Places inlandempirical Wants to Go

A park built around the legend of a clam-loving giant who created a monumental midden.

Every autumn, this hillside is ablaze with red summer cypress.

This ruined Japanese stripclub sits half burnt to the ground.

The ruins of Japan’s premier water brothel.

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

A thick blanket of beautiful pampas grass cloaks this unique Japanese landscape.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

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

Japan's first automaton went missing, only to be revived by the Osaka Science Museum.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

The Hanshin Expressway goes right through its 5th, 6th, and 7th floors.

This pond is so stunning it looks like you've stepped into one of Monet's masterpieces.

A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."

Japanese company creates clone dolls that reside in the "uncanny valley."

This adorable birdlike police box is designed based on a play on words.

A rare festival blending religion, blacksmiths, vagina dentata, sex workers, and the straight-up facts of life.

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.

This small-town Connecticut restaurant gives each diner a free book from its vast library.

Offering commanding views of the California coastline, this restaurant was a hub for the artists and bohemians of Big Sur.

The 40-year-old machine serves soda quicker than you can catch it for a mere 75 cents a pop.

The programmatic glory of LA's giant whiskey barrel building has become an upscale reminder of the city's kitschy roadside past.

Friendships have been forged over ham and eggs every Wednesday morning for a century.

The basement bowling alley of this St. Paul dive bar is decorated with thousands of dollar bills.