Places rubicat Wants to Go

This museum showcases the art of ancient sword-making.

A dilapidated amusement park with a million-dollar view.

Hidden by the roadside in the Iya Valley, this gem brings together folk monsters and the region's unique geography.

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

A quaint amusement park now sits, rusting and forgotten among the foliage.

An anthropological theme park that depicts the cultures of around 20 different countries.

A 17th-century Shinto shrine that is home to statues of Mickey Mouse and Pikachu.

A sobering scientific reminder of the human damage caused by the advent of the nuclear age.

If you forgot something to read during your trip to Tokyo, this hostel has you covered.

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

Stuck in a bygone era, the oldest subterranean shopping street in Japan hides beneath the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo.

Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.

This bar is filled with Star Wars merchandise from around the world, all of it unlicensed knockoffs.

The divine septet of Japanese fortune gods are rendered in 1,000-year-old wood at this peaceful site.

A flight of this "ghost staircase" has 40 steps on the way up, but only 39 steps on the way down.

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

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

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.

Established over a thousand years ago, this family-run teahouse continues to serve skewers of sweet rice cake to this day.

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

Dedicated to the armor and weapons used by the legendary Japanese warriors.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

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

One of Kyoto's oldest food establishments has supplied soba noodles to temple priests and the Imperial Palace.