Places johntheriel Wants to Go

The literal midpoint of the city, as all distances are calculated from this point

An office building covered from head to toe in over eighty variety of plants

A rare north-facing Ksitigarbha statue enshrined in a passageway off Osaka’s busiest area.

This temple is home to a group of Buddha statues made from thousands of bones and ashes of the deceased.

The tomb of an infamous chimeric monster whose corpse once washed ashore in Osaka.

This whimsical garbage disposal facility receives around 12,000 accidental tourists each year.

Every spring, this walkway outside the Japan Mint turns into a cherry blossom tunnel.

A 14th-century European chapel sticks out of the facade of a Japanese hotel.

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

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

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.

This frescoed ancient burial mound is a colorful window into China’s influence in early Japan.

A strange tribute to all the fallen souls of war.

Electricians pray for luck at this place where, according to legend, the god of thunder was once trapped.

A mystical shrine dedicated to a forest that once covered the area and the legendary fox spirit who lived there.

One of the world's largest ancient burial mounds.

A nouveau-riche hilltop “palace” that once provided lodging to more than a hundred fishermen.

This abandoned railroad got a new life as a scenic promenade cutting through the city of Otaru.

A gorgeous, nostalgic café housed in a lofty old warehouse, lit only by petroleum lamps.

This dazzling three-story shop showcases the art and history of music boxes, a popular novelty in Japan.

This futuristic public park includes large sculptures and an artificial geyser.

An open-air museum exhibiting a total of 52 century-old buildings, recreating Hokkaido’s “pioneer village.”

This izakaya restaurant was designed to look like the Biblical vessel.

Japan’s oldest clock tower has been called one of the country’s most disappointing attractions.