Places Plerpo Wants to Go

A Buddhist temple to honor insects that died for science.

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

Take a few seconds to look at this abandoned, art-filled station as you pass by on the subway to Ueno.

A bibliophile's heaven that contains hundreds of bookstores, offering over a third of secondhand books for sale in Tokyo.

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

A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

An unexpected curiosity cabinet hidden within a department store in the Japan Post tower.

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

It's bad manners to eat and drink on the subways of Tokyo, unless the train is this bar. 

Unbeknownst to many, an ancient burial mound hides in plain sight in Ueno Park.

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

Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

Overlooked by many, this tiny sacred island in Ueno Park only opens to the public every 12 days.

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

A museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo's often-overlooked working-class district.

Students pray here in hopes of entering one of Japan’s most prestigious universities.

This quaint teahouse was founded in 1846 as a samurai’s failed attempt to avenge his brother

This small park holds what remains of a former prison and execution ground.

You can receive a blessing for your electronics at this Shinto shrine near Akihabara.

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.

People from around the world visit the shrine of Japan’s legendarily loyal dog.

Though not uncommon in western Japan, this Buddha cut out of an ancient sarcophagus is the only example in central Tokyo.

Adventures in Wonderland under the heart of the bustling Shinjuku

Transport yourself to the 1980s era of video games at this themed restaurant and bar.