Places Naomi Wants to Go

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

One of Kyoto's oldest food establishments has supplied soba noodles to temple priests and the Imperial Palace.

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

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

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.

One of the world's largest ancient burial mounds.

Be a ninja - or just act like one.

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.

An unlikely hit, this museum is dedicated to the inventor of instant ramen and cup noodles.

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

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

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

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

A train ride to the middle of nowhere gives its passengers some of the most iconic views of Japan's seasons.

These termites have an large and deadly abode—impressive by day, dazzling by night.

A beautiful, abandoned farming headquarters overtaken by nature and graffiti.

A beautiful midcentury mural by the famed Brazilian modernist artist Emiliano Di Cavalcanti.

A park with one large cat sculpture and 15 smaller ones, all painted by different Colombian artists.

A 10 million-ton rock once worshiped by the Tahamies Indians, accessed by an astounding staircase.

The Andean town where every single building is decorated with a brightly colored frieze.

This picturesque mansion has gone from opulent ruin to nature museum.

Perched atop the highest hill in Cartagena, this 17th-century convent offers spectacular views of the city.

The crypts are so large they're basically their own underground church.

Try not to get lost in this picturesque Brazilian labyrinth of the dead.