phelpsm610's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Kamakura, Japan

Mandarado Burial Grottoes

An eerie cluster of medieval cave-like tombs carved out of a cliff, hidden in a historic mountain pass.
Yachiyo, Japan

Lake Imba Monster

The strange “kaiju” of Lake Imba that allegedly killed over a dozen men with a single strike of lightning.
Tokyo, Japan

Zen’yō-ji Temple

An eclectic temple with Chinese architecture, Korean lion-dogs, an Indian god and a legendary 700-year-old tree.
Tokyo, Japan

Ghost Buddha

The origin of this bizarre, ghostly idol is a local mystery, even to the temple it calls home.
Oarai, Japan

Kamiiso no Torii

A lone torii arch stands on a coastal rock where a deity is said to have landed.
Kyoto, Japan

Ichijo Modoribashi Bridge

The “bridge of return” is haunted by a myriad of legends, from ghosts to demons to nuptial superstitions.
Asahikawa, Japan

Kamuy Kotan

A natural wonder with mythological ties to the local Ainu tradition.
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.
Kyoto, Japan

Rokudō Chin’nōji Temple

It is believed that this Buddhist temple stands right on the gateway to the underworld.
Itoshima, Japan

Raizan Sennyoji Daihioin Temple

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

Battleship Yamato Museum

Museum dedicated to the largest battleship ever built.
Nasu, Japan

Sesshōseki (Killing Stone)

Believed to hold the remains of Japan's most infamous fox spirit, this stone is said to kill those who dare approach.
Soja, Japan

Ki Castle (Kinojo Castle Ruins)

A rare example of an ancient Japanese hill castle believed to be the fortress of a legendary demon.
Tokyo, Japan

Old Iwabuchi Watergate

This iconic sluice gate is a favorite haunt for joggers, fishing enthusiasts, and even ghost hunters.
Kushiro, Japan

Lake Akan Ainu Kotan

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

Nihonji Daibutsu: The Great Buddha of Nihonji

This giant seated Bhudda of Healing dates to the 1780s.
Minakami, Japan

Mount Tanigawa

This little known mountain has claimed four times as many lives as Everest.
Tokyo, Japan

The Whale Monument

Emerging from the sidewalk, this sculpture of a whale commemorates the importance of baleen in traditional Japanese puppetry.
Yoshimi, Japan

The Hundred Caves of Yoshimi

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

Jinnai Shrine

This shrine dedicated to a legendary swordsman has become a pilgrimage site for the ill and infirmed.
Miyakejima, Japan

Gas Mask Tourism on the Izu Islands

Sulphuric gases inhabit a beautiful Japanese island.
Yokosuka, Japan

Sarushima - "Monkey Island"

A small island with no monkeys but plenty of military ruins.
Izumo-shi, Japan

Izumo-Taisha

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.
Mutsu, Japan

Mount Osore

This mountain's identity is stuck somewhere between a nightmare and a scenic tourist attraction.