Places RaianY Wants to Go

This ordinary set of steps is a must-see destination for fans of a certain romantic anime.

Though technically an illegal structure, this eclectic DIY apartment complex is beloved by its residents.

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

Japan's largest collection of Western-style mansions in the port city of Kobe includes a recreation of Sherlock Holmes' 221B Baker Street quarters.

This adorable birdlike police box is designed based on a play on words.

This historic hydroelectric power plant in Japan has been preserved and is open to the public.

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

A semi-abandoned replica of Prince Edward Island's Avonlea—in Japan.

A strange tribute to all the fallen souls of war.

The world's shortest escalator doesn't seem to have any reason to exist other than to hold a world record.

This high-design church is made up of two dizzying spirals meant to evoke the weaving together of marriage.

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

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

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

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

A giant robo-cockroach building devours Tokyo.

A calico cat named Tama was the wildly popular Super Station Master at this train stop in southeast Japan.

Coast along one of Japan’s mountain railways for coveted views of magnificent hydrangeas.

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

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

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

The Hanshin Expressway goes right through its 5th, 6th, and 7th floors.

The bartenders at this crime-fighting theme cafe are actual private detectives by day.

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