Places mekelley94 Wants to Go

Thanks to wordplay, the earthquake-causing catfish monster has become a god of confidence at this shrine.

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

Stuck in a bygone era, the oldest subterranean shopping street in Japan hides beneath the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo.

Fifty-odd dinosaur footprints are preserved on this strip of mountain cliff along with ancient ripple marks.

This unusual "magical shrine" honors a legendary raccoon-dog god that stowed away to Japan from some far-off land.

A network of ancient tunnels and vaulted chambers with mystical Buddhist reliefs, built for ascetic training.

This prehistoric site is home to the largest shell midden cluster in Japan.

An eerie cluster of medieval cave-like tombs carved out of a cliff, hidden in a historic mountain pass.

Home to 800-year-old zen basin, a 400-year-old pilgrim’s path, and a century-old industrial grotto.

The 650 red and white Japanese plum trees of this Tokyo neighborhood blossom each spring.

The only natural gorge in metropolitan Tokyo, with lots of greenery and ancient burial chambers.

Sip “liquid cuisine” made with meat, vegetables, and insects.

The only Kurdish restaurant in Japan invites you to learn and feast.

A lone torii arch stands on a coastal rock where a deity is said to have landed.

For half a century, this Arabian-inspired retro café has been an oasis for locals in Okinawa’s central tourist area.

Once a huge limestone cave that collapsed thousands of years ago, this scenic ravine is also an important archaeological site.

Once an erosional cave, this scenic arch was lifted up above the sea's surface by an earthquake.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

On Japan's Tashirojima Island, cats are king.

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

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

A beautiful, dense forest in the shadow of Mount Fuji, with a tragic reputation.

A magical place that lets you play in and explore the world of Studio Ghibli.

White cockroaches and other cave species occupy this massive series of lava tubes.