Places WhimsyCat03 Wants to Go

Haunted house kitsch meets Japanese folklore at this theme bar where patrons can “die” and have their own mock funeral.

An infamous house made famous by director Takashi Shimizu.

A cool dive bar, off the beaten track.

Japan's corrupt-mental-institution themed restaurant offers diners a chance to eat inside of filthy cells.

A tiny cafe that recreates the Japanese elementary school lunch experience.

A Catholicism-themed restaurant where sacrilege is on the menu.

Japanese company creates clone dolls that reside in the "uncanny valley."

A museum run by retired highway engineers who helped rebuild after the Great Hanshin Earthquake.

These medieval stone-cut Buddhist statues may protect visitors from being fired.

The site where the poet Matsuo Bashō read one of the first haiku that comprise his famous travelogue.

Plagued with warts? Leave a frog at this small shrine in the city of Tosa, and you may be cured.

This sports stadium was made from 25,000 cypress trees and ranks among the world's largest wooden domes.

The only Edo-period ferry that is still in operation in Tokyo today.

Running through lush forests and across the Tadami River, this train line offers breathtaking views of rural Japan.

A trio of keyhole-shaped burial mounds restored to their ancient glory.

When this clock strikes a certain time, puppets showcase a story of life in Edo Japan.

These sculptures were created by a 17th-century artist who had never seen an elephant.

This ancient burial cave along a roadside is also home to several Buddhist sculptures.

The oldest academic institution in Japan provides a glimpse of university life during the days of the samurai.

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

A train station decorated by a giant replica of the ancient Shakōki-dogū figurine found in the area.

These unique toilets feature transparent glass covered in PDLC film.

The "largest bathroom stall in the world" offers a unique pit-stop experience.

More than 300 years old, Kyoto's historic "teahouse" still operates as an invitation-only geisha club.