Places samireland Wants to Go

Up on the iconic Tsutenkaku Tower sits an American mascot that became Osaka’s own lucky god.

This church commemorates a venerable, yet nigh-forgotten woman who dedicated her life to the poor in post-war Tokyo.

Visit the cherry blossoms at Tokyo’s unofficial smallest mountain.

The birthplace of the Japanese idiom "wet clothes" meaning “false accusation."

The oldest stone lion in Okinawa survived a major battle during World War II.

Enjoy traditional Louisiana-style gumbo and the spirit of Southern hospitality 7,000 miles from New Orleans.

Fifty-odd dinosaur footprints are preserved on this strip of mountain cliff along with ancient ripple marks.

Remnants of an old bank adorn this station's brick wall.

A disused, crumbling 110-year-old theater retains the authentic retro charms of Showa-era cinema.

Another statue of Japan's most famous dog stands in his hometown.

A vending machine dedicated to a beloved seaweed.

A group of medieval rock-cut Buddhist statues created to save people from the volcanic hell that surrounds them.

Just outside Tokyo, a 45-story-high observatory with a stunning view of Tokyo Skytree and Mount Fuji.

Nine healing baths available only to those who stay in this quaint town, said to have inspired 'Spirited Away.'

Japan Railways' southernmost train station offers a view of a volcano and a mailbox said to grant happiness.

A giant statue of the Buddhist goddess of mercy watches over the town of Ōfuna.

This retro izakaya street is a unique legacy of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Established in 1950, this humble burger joint is the oldest surviving one in Japan.

Hike to a hidden medieval troglodyte necropolis.

In the former treasury of a popular temple, a rare sculptural depiction of Kannon’s diverse avatars.

Retro as can be, this cinema still uses film reels and screens revivals of Shōwa-era hits and classics.

This reconstructed castle was once the base of the “Devil King” who almost united the feudal warring states.

Buried nine feet under, these houses are preserved as a stark reminder of the disastrous 1991 Unzen eruption.

The only electricity pylon built over two lanes of traffic.