Places Chris Staring Wants to Go

High in the trees or suspended between cables, these surreal structures are the works of a unique Japanese architect.

Chiseled out of a sandstone cliff, one farmer's unfinished art project lies in ruins.

This ancient burial site was once thought to be the home of a race distinctive to Ainu folklore.

Hundreds of statues of Buddha’s disciples meditating, napping, sneezing, and picking their noses.

The birthplace of Japanese coinage.

This quirky little private museum is home to more than a thousand stones, carved by nature, that resemble human faces.

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

The oldest surviving stele in Japan is a personal dedication from a monk to his late mother.

Each year this Japanese temple overflows with scowling, bearded good luck talismans.

This iconic “station bento” comes in an earthenware pot you can take home and repurpose.

An unusual structure of stone and glass honoring one of Japan’s most eminent Christian leaders who founded the non-church movement.

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

This ancient temple is set up to take you on a pilgrimage of self.

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

This traditional Japanese-style house doubles as one of James Turrell's colorful works of art.

There's light and a dreamlike panorama at the end of this tunnel.

Would you spend the night in Japan's deepest train station?

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

This western-themed amusement park is host to a large number of decaying animatronic cowboys.

Stretching for 22 miles, the world's longest tree-lined avenue dates back to the early 17th-century.

Thanks to wordplay, the earthquake-causing catfish monster has become a god of confidence at this shrine.

A bizarre statue of a Buddhist goddess made from 20,000 insects.

This massive, beautifully-lit underground quarry leaves visitors in awe.