Places johntheriel Wants to Go

A painting marks the site of a historic skyscraper destroyed by the Great Kantō earthquake.

According to local legend, an ancient serial killer nicknamed the “Hag” once haunted this pond.

This often-overlooked monument was crafted in the shape of the iconic samurai coin to honor an Edo-period mint.

These ordinary blocks of stone are the last surviving remains of Tokyo's infamous red-light district.

A commemoration of the first Dutchman to reach Japan, whose name still echoes in the heart of Tokyo.

A series of smile-themed sculptures created by artists from all over the world fill this Tokyo shopping district.

The origin of this bizarre, ghostly idol is a local mystery, even to the temple it calls home.

One of the best-preserved remains of "Tokyo's lost rivers."

Thousands of foxes are said to gather and parade across the neighborhood of Ōji on New Year’s Eve.

This shrine, built to protect against destructive waves, is home to two monumental lion heads.

This monument gives insight into how lost children were found in Edo-period Tokyo.

In Asakusa, Tokyo's very own Walk of Fame.

This small park holds what remains of a former prison and execution ground.

A pair of rivaling shrines dedicated to Lady Oiwa, the most famous vengeful ghost in Japan.

The site where the poet Matsuo Bashō read one of the first haiku that comprise his famous travelogue.

A precursor to Taro Okamoto’s iconic Tower of the Sun.

The decommissioned steam engine’s whistle can still be heard three times a day at one of Japan’s oldest train stations.

This unassuming office building is home to what was once the world's largest pendulum clock.

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

Guarding the city of Chiyoda is a bizarre insectile creature with a name no one can pronounce.

Disused for decades, this freight railway bridge is finally being renovated into a scenic promenade.

A bizarre philosophy-themed park founded by an occult expert.

An eclectic temple with Chinese architecture, Korean lion-dogs, an Indian god and a legendary 700-year-old tree.

This one-of-a-kind indie publisher-bookshop specializes in archiving historic red-light districts and niche cultural topics of the Shōwa era.