Places jimmyjazz Wants to Go

More than 300 years old, Kyoto's historic "teahouse" still operates as an invitation-only geisha club.

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

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

Rejoice at Amsterdam's ‘pop temple,’ a former church reborn as a raucous music venue.

A storied London perfume shop that supplies scents for royalty has been operating out of this storefront for nearly 300 years.

The legendary Japanese filmmaker’s tombstone is marked by a single letter meaning “nothing," and bottles of sake.

Named for the Yoruba word for Lagos, this craft brewery draws on European beer-making and West African palm wine-fermenting techniques.

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

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese shrine.

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

Have a soak at this retro bathhouse, where you will find Japan's first electric bath, tiling from Spain, and wood carvings representing the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

This brothel-turned-restaurant features plenty of surprises and elaborate, extravagant architecture.

This water goblin statue represents a 19th-century urban legend about a haunted canal that became a Japanese idiom.

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”

The tallest city hall in the world offers an excellent bento box.

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

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

When this clock strikes a certain time, puppets showcase a story of life in Edo Japan.

These unique toilets feature transparent glass covered in PDLC film.

This historic castle is one of the oldest and most impressive in all of Japan.

The former mansion complex of a merchant prince, related to a famed filmmaker.

The largest archaeological site from the Yayoi period.