Places Kan Cho Wants to Go

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

The world's shortest escalator doesn't seem to have any reason to exist other than to hold a world record.

An eerie maze of industrial factories looks like something out of a dystopian sci-fi.

The first location of the eventual video game giant.

The giant figure on the back of this turtle-shaped temple actually hides a memorial pendulum.

Shrine dedicated to boars that is believed to cure foot and leg injuries.

A sobering scientific reminder of the human damage caused by the advent of the nuclear age.

An abandoned Art Deco hotel nestled on the side of a wooded mountain.

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

A 59-ft. robot statue looks over the citizens of earthquake-ravaged Kobe.

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

The largest collection of model trains in the world is actually run using full-size locomotive technology.

The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes is home to an impressive swan population—some real, some with paddles, and one with an observation deck.

Kawaii meets poisonous at this unique art gallery.

This bar is filled with Star Wars merchandise from around the world, all of it unlicensed knockoffs.

The small candy-colored ride is the last rooftop Ferris wheel in Tokyo.

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

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

Historical Japanese-Dutch relations are honored with haunted rides and flower fields in this replica town.

The largest volcanic caldera in Japan holds an entire city in its maw.

Giant animal sculptures are created with the rice straw leftover from the fall harvest each year.

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

An astounding annual light display honors the victims of one of Japan's most devastating earthquakes.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.