markburstall's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Himeji, Japan

Kokoen Garden

Nine Gardens in one—with tea service.
Hokkaidō, Japan

Blue Pond

This mesmerizingly colorful pond looks like a scene straight out of a fairytale.
Hatsukaichi, Japan

Itsukushima Shrine

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.
Narusawa-mura, Japan

Narusawa Hyoketsu (Ice Cave)

A 70-foot-deep ice cave formed by lava from Mt. Fuji on the edge of Japan's "Suicide Forest." 
Kyoto, Japan

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.
Miyoshi, Japan

The Vine Bridges of Iya Valley

Hanging over one of Japan's "hidden valleys," these vine bridges must be remade every three years.
Nara, Japan

Tōdai-ji Daibutsuden (The Great Buddha Hall)

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.
Yoro, Japan

Yoro Park

Experience park where visitors are told to expect the unexpected.
Tokyo, Japan

Godzilla Head

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.
Nagasaki, Japan

Gunkanjima Island

Once the most densely populated place in the world, this island is now a ghost town.
Kyoto, Japan

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

The 10,000 Torii shrine.
Tokyo, Japan

Sanrio Puroland

If Hello Kitty were Mickey Mouse, this would be Disneyland.
Tokyo, Japan

Omoide Yokocho

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”
Kyoto, Japan

Nishiki Market

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.
Yamanouchi, Japan

Jigokudani Monkey Park

Hot springs monkey spa in the middle of Hell's Valley.
Tokyo, Japan

Vampire Café

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.
Kyoto, Japan

Sagano Bamboo Forest

The sound of swaying stalks in this stunning grove has been named a governmentally recognized sound.