Places toochickens Wants to Go

Daikon radishes are offered to the Japanese Buddhist counterpart of the Hindu god Ganesha at this historic hilltop temple.

This village is home to the largest existing settlement of the Ainu, the Indigenous people of Japan.

Come for the fish sundae, stay for the collection of Studio Ghibli cat buses.

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

According to one legend, this bridge was crafted after monkeys formed a body-bridge across the gorge.

The floats housed in this hall are more than 100 years old, and are brought out for an annual celebration.

Sample specialties from Xinjiang at this Shinjuku neighborhood gem.

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

A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.

"Bug Bug" Land, a natural park for beetle watching, still hasn't fully recovered from Fukushima's nuclear disaster.

A monk-run winery inside a Buddhist temple celebrates Japan's crown grape varietal.

A hub of information on tropical diseases and their treatments.

More tin toys than you can shake a clapping monkey at.

This garden located inside a bamboo forest once belonged to a famous Japanese actor.

Narrow passes cut out of mountains surround the medieval capital of Japan.

A remote and slightly overgrown park filled with replicas of world landmarks.

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

Have a soak at this retro bathhouse, where you will find Japan's first electric bath, tiling from Spain, and wood carvings representing the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

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

Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

The traditional houses along the coast of this charming Japanese fishing village allow people to sleep above the sea.

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

This brothel-turned-restaurant features plenty of surprises and elaborate, extravagant architecture.