hluecht's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Last Wild Apple Forests

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.
Saty, Kazakhstan

Kaindy Lake

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.
Noboribetsu, Japan

Tenkaen (China Park of Heaven)

After a short 5 year run, this former major theme park sits in ruin.
Oshu, Japan

Tohoku New Zealand Village

A derelict New Zealand-themed amusement park in Japan.
Agano, Japan

Niigata Russian Village

A failed Russian themed village and amusement park in Niigata prefecture.
Soja, Japan

Mahō Jinja (Magical Shrine)

This unusual "magical shrine" honors a legendary raccoon-dog god that stowed away to Japan from some far-off land.
Yokohama, Japan

Ganki Inari

A narrow, dead-end alley hides with a small fox shrine and the untold history of Yokohama's historic red-light district.
Fukuoka, Japan

Japan’s First Tea Tree

In the oldest zen temple stands a descendant of the very tree that introduced tea to Japanese culture.
Mito, Japan

Mito Daiichi High School

An old-fashioned school with interesting grounds and deep history, including the original Mito Castle gate.
Aki, Japan

Ioki Cave

Over 40 species of fern cover the canyon walls of this lush green bowl, cut off from the bustle of the world by a cave entrance.
Muroto, Japan

Muroto Schoolhouse Aquarium

Sharks, stingrays, and turtles swim in the pools at this former elementary school.
Ichinoseki, Japan

Genbikei Gorge

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

Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center

Tatar Russian in origin, the largest mosque in Japan is now an Ottoman-style Turkish culture center.
Naha, Japan

Shuri Castle

The seat of the lost Ryukyu Kingdom has survived numerous fires and wars over the centuries.
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.
Yonezawa, Japan

Ubayu Onsen

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

Asakusa Underground Street

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

Raizan Sennyoji Daihioin Temple

A culturally significant rural temple in the beautiful mountains of Itoshima.
Tokyo, Japan

Matsuchiyama Shoden

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

Yagiri no Watashi

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

Okochi Sanso Gardens

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

Funaoka Onsen

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.
Yufu, Japan

Yufuin Floral Village

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