gardnstate's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Miyoshi, Japan

Yokai Yashiki (Monster and Stone Museum)

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

Seikan Tunnel

The world's longest tunnel with an undersea section.
Tondabayashi, Japan

PL Peace Tower

A strange tribute to all the fallen souls of war.
Tatebayashi-shi, Japan

Morin-ji Temple

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.
Shimanto-chō, Japan

Kaiyodo Kappa Museum

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

Yufuin Floral Village

This amusement park brings a little slice of England to the heart of Kyushu.
Takayama, Japan

Hida Takayama Teddy Bear Eco Village

A collection of more than 1,000 teddies from nearly any profession.
Chichibu, Japan

Chichibu Chinsekikan (Hall of Curious Rocks)

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

Saruhashi Bridge

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

Sun Messe Nichinan

These seven moai figures are the world's only sanctioned replicas of the Easter Island originals.
Ishigaki, Japan

Yonekoyaki Craft Center Shisa Park

Along the side of the road on a small Japanese island is an extensive garden of uniquely designed Shisa statues.
Tokyo, Japan

Waseda El Dorado

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”
Sado, Japan

Chokokuji Temple's Rabbit Kannon Statue

This giant statue pays homage to this temple's furry residents who keep the landscape pristine.
Matsuyama-shi, Japan

Kururin Ferris Wheel

A giant rooftop ride with unbeatable views of Matsuyama city, the nearby mountain ranges, and the Inland Sea.
Urayasu, Japan

'The Gate of Dynamism'

Next door to Tokyo DisneySea is a giant sculpture created by Taro Okamoto symbolizing the dynamism of life.
Utsunomiya, Japan

The Venus of Gyoza

At a Japanese train station, a goddess emerges from a dumpling.
Yonezawa, Japan

Ubayu Onsen

Located in a remote mountain valley in Yamagata Prefecture, these hot springs have attracted bathers for over 450 years.
Mito, Japan

Ogushi Kaizuka Park

A park built around the legend of a clam-loving giant who created a monumental midden.
Matsumoto, Japan

Matsumoto Castle

This historic castle is one of the oldest and most impressive in all of Japan.
Osaka, Japan

Sakura no Tōrinuke

Every spring, this walkway outside the Japan Mint turns into a cherry blossom tunnel.
Tokyo, Japan

Shiotama

Steampunk, humanoid sculptures crawl on all fours in a Tokyo plaza.
Minoo, Japan

Katsuo-ji Temple

Visitors to this temple are greeted by a massive collection of wooden dolls said to bring good fortune.
Ichinoseki, Japan

Genbikei Gorge

A stretch of the Iwai River that features beautiful rocky cliffs, rapids, and flying dango.
Kamishihoro, Japan

Taushubetsu River Bridge

An isolated "phantom bridge" doomed to crumble into ruin.