Places johntheriel Wants to Go

Enjoy a flaming concoction steeped in steampunk, magic, and alchemy at this experimental cocktail bar.

Legend has it that centuries ago, a ghost once frequented this candy shop to feed her still-living baby.

It is believed that this Buddhist temple stands right on the gateway to the underworld.

An LED art installation composed of 600 poles wrapped in kimono fabric.

These turtle-shaped concrete stepping stones provide a unique river crossing in central Kyoto.

When this massive wooden temple ran out of rope, they made one out of devotees' hair.

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

View Japan's most historic city from a cyberpunk walkway suspended 150 feet above the ground.

This garden located inside a bamboo forest once belonged to a famous Japanese actor.

Visitors to this museum will discover that kaleidoscopes are much more than toys.

Burial mound for the ears and noses of thousands of mutilated Korean soldiers.

The first location of the eventual video game giant.

Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.

This 400-year-old sweet shop serves a delicacy some have described as "edible incense."

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

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

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

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

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

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

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

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

The oldest operating company in the entire world, founded in 578 AD