Places roeltersteeg Wants to Go

Life and death are on parade at the most reliably perilous site of “the Great Migration.”

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

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

This ancient shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years since the eighth century.

A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.

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

This bridge is so steep it looks like a rollercoaster.

This mountain's identity is stuck somewhere between a nightmare and a scenic tourist attraction.

Thirty architectural gems from the 19th- and early 20th-century Tokyo were restored and relocated to this space.

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.

Historical Japanese-Dutch relations are honored with haunted rides and flower fields in this replica town.

A steaming, boiling hellscape sources Hokkaido's thermal baths.

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

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

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

This mesmerizingly colorful pond looks like a scene straight out of a fairytale.

The 43-mile route crosses through six islands with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea.

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

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

The world's largest drain sits below the city of Kasukabe, Japan.

Enormous underground chamber built to detect 'ghost particles' of the universe.

Shrine to Japanese water-goblins, complete with their preserved body parts.

Nine Gardens in one—with tea service.

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.