Nara, Japan
Buddha's Nostril
Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.
Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Nara, Japan
Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.
Takaoka, Japan
This giant bronze Buddha, the third largest in Japan, is the last in an ill-fated series of statues.
Kyoto, Japan
A tiny collection of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, open only when the owner feels like it.
Hiraizumi, Japan
Founded over a thousand years ago, this shrine is said to be built on the site of a warlord's harem prison.
Koganei, Japan
Thirty architectural gems from the 19th- and early 20th-century Tokyo were restored and relocated to this space.
Takayama, Japan
The divine septet of Japanese fortune gods are rendered in 1,000-year-old wood at this peaceful site.
Yamagata, Japan
The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.
Takasaki, Japan
Each year this Japanese temple overflows with scowling, bearded good luck talismans.
Koya, Japan
Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.
Suita-shi, Japan
Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.
Nagakute, Japan
A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."
Shirakawa-mura, Japan
This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.
Kyoto, Japan
Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.
Kyoto, Japan
With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.
Aomori, Japan
The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.
Hiroshima, Japan
Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.
Ise, Japan
This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.
Beppu, Japan
Steaming blood-red hot spring from hell.
Hiroshima, Japan
A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.
Tokyo, Japan
The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.
Tokyo, Japan
The freshest fish here are the ones you catch yourself.
Tokyo, Japan
Shrine to Japanese water-goblins, complete with their preserved body parts.
Kyoto, Japan
The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.
Kyoto, Japan
1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.