Places rachaelandthemullets Wants to Go

The world's only museum devoted to the wonders of fluorescence.

This bridge is so steep it looks like a rollercoaster.

A massive wintry wall of snow up to 66 feet tall flanks a highway through Japan's mountains.

A mysterious set of tunnels carved in the hills of rural northern Kyushu.

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.

If you forgot something to read during your trip to Tokyo, this hostel has you covered.

You can still find treasures on the pebbly beaches of one of the world's oldest jade-producing areas.

This town near Nagasaki is flecked with fruit-flavored bus stops.

A flight of this "ghost staircase" has 40 steps on the way up, but only 39 steps on the way down.

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

White beach sands made of the remains of tiny, star shaped creatures.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

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

A rare festival blending religion, blacksmiths, vagina dentata, sex workers, and the straight-up facts of life.

Japan's largest area of "pink moss" turns the hillside bright pink every spring.

A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

Shells collected from over a hundred different countries line the walls, floors and ceilings of this fantasy museum.

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

Museum showcases Japanese sexuality and some amazing ocean views.

A Japanese cat island also populated by the descendants of a band of banished samurai.