Places NixOfNowhere Wants to Go

One of the top 100 sights of feudal Tokyo continues to impress those who visit the lesser temples of Ueno.

Once known for its eerie appearance, this semicircular monument is all that remains of a Tokyo industrial icon.

Walls of VHS tapes adorn this Golden Gai B horror movie themed bar.

This site commemorates the life of a Japanese scientist who dedicated his life to the discovery of diseases.

Outside of where Tsukiji Market once stood, these memorials honor the spirits of the fallen fish, shrimp, and eggs used for nigiri.

A bizarre object of worship believed to grant wishes to those who tie it up with a rope.

The origin of this bizarre, ghostly idol is a local mystery, even to the temple it calls home.

This atmospheric pre-war building is home to one of the few manually operated elevators left in Tokyo.

A unique shrine dedicated to the deified skull of a 17th-century Tokyo courtesan.

A miniature shrine in the busy corner of Tokyo's historic Broadway, honoring a sextet of unusual entertainment gods.

Guarding the city of Chiyoda is a bizarre insectile creature with a name no one can pronounce.

A glimpse into life in 1830s Tokyo, back during the heyday of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Disaster prevention apartment blocks in Sumida Ward are designed to save as many as possible in the face of the inevitable.

This abandoned, spaceship-like building is home to a museum so unpopular that it has been put on hiatus for over two decades.

Tatar Russian in origin, the largest mosque in Japan is now an Ottoman-style Turkish culture center.

This retro café is a remnant of Japan’s post-war Argentine tango craze.

This tiny stone in a children's park is what remains of an ancient, once-worshipped object.

A sad reminder of the World War II bombing stands largely unnoticed on a street corner.

This iconic sluice gate is a favorite haunt for joggers, fishing enthusiasts, and even ghost hunters.

The site of Japan’s first archaeological excavation is also the birthplace of fingerprint forensics.

Sample specialties from Xinjiang at this Shinjuku neighborhood gem.

Meet the world's longest tapeworm in a collection that really gets under your skin.

Inaccessible by foot, Japan's most secluded train station sits in the middle of nowhere.

Bioluminescent firefly squid light up this Japanese fishing port.