Some places have ghost towns. Nagasaki has a ghost island—the uninhabited Hashima Island.

It’s referred to by locals as Gunkanjima, or Battleship Island, for its similar appearance to a warship when seen from a distance. Since 2009, tours have been running to the deserted mining island, undisturbed since residents abandoned their homes leaving everything from shoes to electronics to lesson-filled blackboards.

Battleship Island

The island is a reminder of its dark history as a site of forced labor prior to and during the Second World War.

Walking around the crumbling grocery stores and peeking into children’s bedrooms covered with rust and weeds, it’s an eerie glimpse of the imprint of human life on our environment.
Begun as a coal mining operation in 1887, the Mitsubishi Company purchased Hashima Island in 1890. Mitsubishi enhanced the island’s mining facilities while increasing its landmass to 16 acres. It then built concrete, high-storied apartment complexes to house its employees and their families, as well as an outer sea wall. At its peak in 1959, Gunkanjima was home to 5,259 people, making it at one time the most densely populated place ever recorded.

By 1974 the mines under Gunkanjima had dried up and Mitsubishi announced it was ending operations. Residents began departing in haste to seek new jobs. Within a few months, the island was completely deserted.

Tourists wishing to get a closer look at the island can easily book a day trip.

The early 2000s saw a renewed interest in Gunkanjima, with a number of different companies in Nagasaki vying to offer tours. It’s the only way to access the island and the whole operation is tightly controlled – just three ferry companies are permitted to run tours – with visitors limited to a walking path that makes up part of the island’s perimeter due to safety concerns. Tours take approximately three hours and are offered in morning and afternoon sessions. Typical programs include ferry rides to and from Nagasaki port to the island and one­ hour walking on land.

In July 2015, Gunkanjima became a UNESCO World Heritage site. This was despite complaints made by South Korea, later withdrawn, regarding Mitsubishi’s use of Koreans and Chinese for hard labor on the island during World War II. Tour guides are normally reluctant to address this issue so it’s best not to push it. You can (and should) find out more about the history of Gunkanjima online.

Higashiyama Onsen is a historical onsen (hot spring) town located on the eastern outskirts of Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture. More than 1,300 years old, the town’s healing waters have been a respite for Buddhist priests, noble samurai, and weary travelers alike.

Today, Higashiyama Onsen is known as one of Tohoku’s top three onsen resorts. About 15 different hot spring hotels and ryokan (traditional inn) and hotels sit along the tranquil Yu River, nestled in a scenic valley. The old-style wooden ryokan are the best option, as they give you the impression of stepping back in time and make you feel like an honored guest in real traditional Japan.

Mukaitaki Ryokan

Photo by: M Murakami Onsen for nobles and pilgrims alike.

Mukaitaki Ryokan is undoubtedly the most famous among Higashiyama Onsen’s ryokan. It’s well known as the valley’s most prominent landmark. It also offers its guests one of the most authentic onsen experiences you can have.

Discover Aizuwakamtsu

The Mukaitaki offers several onsen baths, one of them being kazoku style, where you can enjoy the hot spring in private with your family.

The food on offer is decidedly Japanese and features local ingredients. The Aizu region is famous for sweet-water fish, beef, and delicious vegetables. The sake made from local rice is divine. Depending on the season, you will get served the best in a multitude of dishes.

Enjoy a geisha performance

Photo by: Sayaca Autumn in Higashiyama Onsen.

Higashiyama Onsen is a certified geisha district. Thus, you can experience what it’s like to be entertained by a real, traditionally trained geisha.

The geisha of Higashiyama Onsen, locally known as geigi or kanariko, are refined stage performers, masters at playing the shamisen, and singing ancient songs about love and life. Seeing them dance and perform in their elegant kimono is utterly unforgettable.

Booking a geisha for a performance at your dinner table is also possible. While on the pricey side, sharing the bill with a group of friends would make it still quite affordable.

Hidden in the valleys of landlocked Gifu Prefecture sits what can only be described as a marriage of Alice’s wonderland and modern architecture. It’s the Site of Reversible Destiny, a massive art installation park perfect for the offbeat traveler. The installation is a culmination of 30 years of collaborative work between artist/architect duo Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins. Grab a helmet at the entrance and get lost.

By disturbing the viewer’s understanding of physics and material reality, the artists hope to free people from the inertia of routine

Arakawa and Gins sought to challenge the human body’s “physical and spiritual orientation to the world and instead of being fearful of losing balance, [visitors should] look forward to it.” By disturbing the viewer’s understanding of physics and material reality, the artists hope to free people from the inertia of routine and help them return to the exploratory state of childhood.

Photo by: cobecoberirin Don’t fall in.

Down the rabbit hole

Start your journey at The Reversible Destiny Office, a cotton-candy daydream of a maze where the ceiling mirrors the floor, and the line between up and down is blurred beyond recognition. The floor rises and dips throughout the maze, with some sections engulfing visitors and others barely reaching waist-level. Think that’s intense? That’s only just the beginning.

Clamber up Exactitude Ridge (be careful not to lose your balance) to reach the main pavilion of the park, The Critical Resemblance House. Its roof is shaped like Gifu Prefecture and it houses a winding maze where visitors will encounter furniture jutting out from walls, missing ceilings, dead ends, and precarious climbs.

Photo by: Kuruman A cotton candy daydream of a maze is really the only way to describe it.

A bright yellow doorway signals your arrival at the Geographical Ghost. Squeeze through a pitch-black passage to reach the final room which features a skylight in the shape of Japan. Claustrophobes may want to avoid the Cleaving Hall, which is extremely narrow and challenging to navigate through.

Visitors are encouraged to explore the house more than once. The creators recommend that you “move through the house as though you are presently living in it or you were its next resident.”

Perspective is key

Photo by: Anna Modugno Yep. That roof is shaped like Gifu Prefecture!

Seeing things from multiple perspectives is one of the most important lessons of The Site of Reversible Destiny. For sweeping views of the park, scale the enormous wall that runs its circumference. From this vantage point, the map of Japan embedded within the landscape can be seen. The wall itself is hollow and can be explored as well.

There is no wrong way to experience the art installations, so long as you do it with a sense of curiosity. Does the park truly have the power to reverse destiny? There’s only one way to find out.

At first glance, most visitors to Nagoro Village will see a sweet rural community of elderly residents spending their time blissfully tending to their gardens and fishing. Take a closer look, however, and you might be in for a scare. The villagers are actually scarecrows! Get it?

Nagoro Village, aka Kakashi no Sato (Scarecrow Village), is a unique riverside town in Tokushima Prefecture on Japan’s smallest island, Shikoku. Scarecrow residents outnumber humans ten-to-one in this remote Iya Valley hamlet.

Who made all the scarecrows?

Photo by: maryammohry Ayano Tsukimi, the mother of scarecrows

More than 200 scarecrows inhabit the town. They’ve become loved by their human neighbors and are often celebrated by the community for bringing back fruitful memories of the past.

The scarecrows are all created single-handedly by longtime resident Ayano Tsukimi. Tired of seeing the number of villagers decline over the years, Ayano chose to create a new community of friendly faces. Stuffing old clothes with newspaper and cotton helped her repopulate the once lively neighborhood.

If you’re lucky, there’s a chance you might bump into Ayano herself. She’s just one of approximately thirty people still living in the village.

In recent years, Ayano has started creating dolls that follow international trends. Play a game of real-life “Where’s Waldo,” and see if you can find the US President Donald Trump scarecrow doppelganger or characters from the Harry Potter series. There are also famous Japanese celebrities and comedians.

Scarecrow Festival

Photo by: Roberto Maxwell A happy scarecrow family.

On the first Sunday of October, Nagoro holds a festival that exhibits the scarecrows and Ayano’s other works. Every year’s exhibition has a different theme with photo contests, bazaars, and rice cake throwing.

Tokushima Likes to Dance

Nagoro  Scarecrow Village is nestled in a more remote area along the Iya River. There are small Buddhist temples and farms to visit nearby, but the main attraction is definitely the scarecrows. If you’re lucky, there’s a chance you might bump into Ayano herself. She’s just one of approximately thirty people still living in the village.

Hidden within the mountaintop Saisho-ji Temple in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture sits the mummified corpse of Kochi Hoin. Kneeling in seiza form, barely illuminated by the softly flickering candles that surround him, he appears ready to conduct a sermon―even after all these centuries.

Kochi is the oldest of Japan’s sokushinbutsu, or “flesh idols,” Buddhist monks following asceticism that were mummified while alive. Add a bit of mysticism to your Niigata trip by visiting him after you’ve seen nearby Yahiko Shrine perched atop a volcano and soaked in Tsubame Onsen.

Life and legend of Kochi Hoin

Photo by: Anna Modugno A peaceful place for eternal meditation.

Originally Hirotomo, Kochi was born at the end of the 13th century in Shimosa province (modern-day Chiba Prefecture). As legend has it, he led a life of sin and indulgence, neglecting his pregnant wife and son to frequent the pleasure districts. After being disowned by his father, his wife passed away, but not before giving birth to a second son who was carried off by a wolf.

This series of tragedies led Kochi to embark on a pilgrimage through Dewa Sanzan and the Oshu province (covering the modern-day northern Tohoku region) where he encountered the ghost of his late wife. He also underwent seven years of training at Mount Koya in Wakayama before returning to Niigata to find his father dead and his eldest son orphaned.

An encounter with ghosts

Photo by: Anna Modugno Ema (wishes) hanging at Saishoji Temple.

The eldest son became his disciple and as they made their way back to Mount Koya, the pair was reunited with the youngest son, who had not been abducted by a real wolf, but rather an incarnation of Buddha.

An encounter with the ghosts of his deceased parents propelled Kochi to begin the ascetic training necessary to becoming a sokushinbutsu. He ascended to the realm of eternal meditation and became a mummy through a process of self-starvation in 1363.

For the temple itself, there’s also a human skull and taxidermied wolf on display. Further inside is what looks like a mummified cat, but the temple insists it’s a “thunder beast.” You’ll have to see this one to believe it.

Wanna know more about Japan’s mummified monks and the strange process it takes to become one? Check our guide on where to see the mummies of Yamagata. 

Rather than drinks, the vending machine outside Kome to Circus is filled with scorpions, giant waterbugs, and cricket energy bars in multiple flavors. These can serve as a snack to go, a pre-dinner appetizer, or maybe just as a warning that Rice and Circus—as it’s known in English—is not for the squeamish.

Photo by: Peter Austin The only place a restaurant like this belongs… down a dark alley.

Tucked away in a small, nondescript alleyway, this restaurant is not the sort of place you’d stumble upon while walking around the city. Dim red neon lights around the entrance make it look more like an underground club than a restaurant. That is, of course, until you get closer and see pictures of the exotic delicacies that can be found inside.

Rice is the only normal food at Rice and Circus

Rice and Circus has a lot in common with your run of the mill izakaya (Japanese pub). Spread across two floors, the place is filled with small tables of guests sitting in close proximity. Sounds of people chatting and shrieking in disgusted fascination fill the cozy space.

Photo by: Peter Austin The deep-fried gecko is actually pretty tasty, but the head is pretty tough.

The only real difference between this place and a normal izakaya is the jars full of snakes and critters lining the walls and the people next to you eating goat testicles. Kome means rice in Japanese, and rice is the closest thing to “normal” food you’re gonna get here.

The kangaroo is really tasty, the crocodile tempura is to die for, and the grasshoppers make a solid snack—just don’t look at them before you eat them.

The rest of the menu is, well, a circus. Some of the more tame offerings include kangaroo, deer steaks, and frog. As you move along the weird scale you have badger, raccoon, and camel. Finally, there’s a whole host of bugs, a crow hotpot, and a completely edible gecko that’s been fried whole.

Lizard liquor or sea horse shots anyone?

Photo by: Peter Austin Horsefly, white snake, stink bug, aloe, lamprey, and earthworm sake. Mmmm.

Next, you will need something to wash down that gecko head. Don’t worry, Kome to Circus has you covered. Scorpion liquor? Cockroach liquor? Liquor cultivated from the combined male genitalia of three animals? Take your pick. With two pages packed with bizarre concoctions, you definitely won’t be leaving thirsty.

They also have normal drinks, but the genitalia drink is not bad at all—definitely better than snake liquor. If you are on the fence, just ask for a “surprise shot.” #yolo

Photo by: Peter Austin Hard pass on the raccoon and camel meat.

Our recommendations? The kangaroo is really tasty, the crocodile tempura is to die for, and the grasshoppers make a solid snack—just don’t look at them before you eat them. The ethical sourcing of a place like this is highly questionable, but that’s to be expected when you dine in a circus.

The main location is in Shinjuku, but there is a small outpost of Rice and Circus in the Shibuya Parco shopping center offering an exclusive insect parfait. Yum.

• 2020 Dates: Jan. 5 to Feb. 24
• Mon to Thurs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Fri, Sat, Sun until 8 p.m. The nighttime lights are from sunset on Fri through Sun only.
• Due to warm weather, very few icicles have formed in winter 2020. For more updates, please visit the official website.

The Icicles of Ashigakubo (Ashigakubo no Tsurara) in the town of Yokoze are the perfect winter getaway from Tokyo. Here, visitors can see amazing artificial ice formations from January to February.

Photo by: Maureen Del Rosario The icy neon feel of the place!

It’s one of the Three Great Icicles of Chichibu, which includes the Icicles of Onouchi and the Icicles of Misotsuchi. While all three possess their own distinct beauty, the Icicles of Ashigakubo are the most easily accessible.

How are the icicles made?

This popular attraction has popped up every year since 2015, thanks to the locals. They make the frozen structures by spraying water on a small hill until it becomes crystallized in the freezing weather. At night, it becomes illuminated with vibrant lights.

Although artificially made, Yokoze’s fresh take on Japanese winter illuminations is an impressive and enchanting sight. Plus, the train ride only takes an hour and a half from Ikebukuro in northern Tokyo.

Photo by: nakkosann See the icicles until 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Ashigakubo highlights

Once the radiant purple, blue, green, and red lights hit the icicles, they create a romantic—almost surreal—photogenic spot for couples. Likewise, children become absolutely wide-eyed, staring at the mesmerizing lights and shapes.

A train passing by from time to time creates even more of a dramatic effect on the icicle’s dreamy atmosphere. Visitors can savor the scenery as they wander around, but the best view is right on the hilltop.

Photo by: visitjapanth A wall of ice.

On the hilltop, visitors can relax and warm themselves by a wood-burning stove while they drink amazake (sweet fermented rice drink) or hot tea. This treat is included in the ¥300 entrance fee.

As a part of the scenic Chichibu district, Yokoze is surrounded by mountains and lush greenery. Although there are no stores at Ashigakubo, there is a souvenir shop at the station 10 minutes away that sells local produce such as honey and handcrafted goods.

Photo by: Maureen Del Rosario Check out the night illumination until 8 p.m.

Lastly, there are food stalls at the train station where you can enjoy hot oden (stew), soba noodles, and other traditional Japanese winter foods. They’re sure to warm your bones on the way to the icicles or serve as a hearty meal before heading back home.

Ramen bowls evoke piping hot comfort. Pancake stacks promise fluffy and sugary pleasure. All over Japan, plastic food replicas on display outside restaurants captivate diners. A small mountain town in the Chubu Region, Gujo Hachiman, produces most of these drool-worthy marvels that are such a huge part of Japanese food culture.

How is this not real sushi??

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Maizuru and Ganso Shokuhin are impressive shops for your fake food fetish. Both are in Tokyo Skytree and Asakusa’s famous culinary zone, Kappabashi.

Gujo Hachiman’s ode to food replicas

That said, the ultimate pilgrimage is about three hours by train from Tokyo. Gujo Hachiman is a picturesque former castle town with canal-lined streets and traditional buildings. Takizo Iwasaki, inventor of the sampuru (a Japanese word from the English “sample”) was born there in 1885.

Photo by: Randiah Camille Green Try your hand at making your own food replica at Sample Kobo.

Iwasaki pioneered Japan’s first sampuru business in Osaka in 1932 but later returned to Gujo. Today, Gujo has 10 factories handcrafting around 70 percent of the market. Shop, watch the artisans, or try making your own!

Sample Village Iwasaki is a five-minute walk from Gujo Hachiman Station and is still run by the Iwasaki family. Takizo Iwasaki’s original 1917 prototype—an omurice (rice omelet) with ketchup—is still proudly displayed.

Sample Kobo is closer to Gujo’s town center, near the Tourist Office. Both venues offer free entry and classes for a fee. Craft your own tempura vegetables and shrimp, lettuce, or ice-cream cup. See one of these crafty workshops in action, below!

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うん(ﾟｰ,ﾟ*)ｼﾞｭﾙﾙﾙ 今日はみんな大好きステーキのご紹介? レアな焼き色の筆入れ作業ですψ(。。) 美味しそうで食べたくなるようなステーキに仕上げる職人の腕の見せどころです(*' ▽'*) #ステーキ #肉 #レア #焼き色 #筆 #職人技 #手作業 #手作り #食べられません #食べたい #食品サンプル #オリジナル #郡上八幡 #岐阜県 #城下町

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Sampuru were originally made with wax, but more durable plastics were used from the 1970s. Restaurants order them ready or custom-made. Pieces are cast in molds using real food or by following photographs, baked in an oven, then painted and finished.

What prefecture is this in?

Today, digital menus and photos threaten the sampuru, but they’re still a quirky, cool slice of mainstream culture. Like the luscious fake soft serve that never melts, here’s to hoping this unique Japanese craft never disappears. Plus, they always help tourists choose a meal.

• Namba Yasaka Festival Date: Annually on the third Sunday of January.

Photo by: Geoff Whalan Right in the bustling heart of Namba.

A mere eight-minute walk from busy Nankai Station, Namba Yasaka Shrine is home to Namba’s guardian deity and part of a once flourishing complex of Buddhist temples that were burned down in wartime air raids.

Namba Yasaka is famous for its lion-shaped stage, which stands out as a unique piece of architecture, especially compared with the austere temple beside it. It’s not hard to draw a parallel with Osaka’s kaleidoscopic mix of traditional, retro, modern and futuristic, distilled at this secret shrine smack in the center of the city’s bawdiest entertainment district.

Photo by: Stephen Kelly Don’t get too close.

The lion’s head stage was built in 1975 and has a delightfully retro feel, as striking as something you might find in Las Vegas or a theme park. It stands 12 meters tall and seven meters deep. The huge lion’s mouth is believed to swallow evil spirits and bring good luck, especially for those looking to do well in school and business matters. Because of this many people visit the shrine during exam time or the start and end of the financial year.

The third Sunday of January marks the shrine’s annual festival, during which a huge tug-of-war competition is held. This is to simulate the myth that the shrine’s deity once killed a giant snake that brought peace to the people of what is now the Namba area.

A crank-operated fan underneath Marilyn Monroe’s dress reveals a rather *ahem* hairy situation at the Atami Adult Museum. The delightful ‘80s playhouse sits overlooking the small resort town of Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture. It’s the last of its kind in the country.

The museum boasts an impressive display of shunga and sex toys dating back to the Edo period. For research purposes only, of course.

With three floors and over 30 attractions to explore, Atami’s den of debauchery is sure to excite and titillate.

Inside the Atami Hihokan

Photo by: Kate That’s a big johnson you’ve got there, ma’am.

While other hihokan (sex museums or treasure houses) in Japan featured depictions of hardcore violence and gore, Atami’s museum is focused on “humor and nonsense.” This is probably a big reason for the museum’s continued popularity. They’ve experienced a steady increase in (especially female) patronage over the years while other such museums have disappeared into the abyss.

As you make your way through the museum, you’ll find yourself being serenaded by topless mermaid automatons, and peering into a women’s only onsen (hot spring). Thankfully, you won’t be peaking in on actual women bathing, just robots!

Photo by: tatu117 The adult version of The Little Mermaid.

Don’t get too excited though—when you step on the mat in front of the onsen peephole, a jet of water will splash you in the face. Reactions from other visitors nearby range from shrieks of terror to uproarious laughter, adding to the silly atmosphere.

For history buffs, the museum boasts an impressive display of shunga (traditional Japanese erotic art) and sex toys dating back to the Edo period. For research purposes only, of course.

Check out the museum’s official teaser below for more of what to expect inside.

After you have received your naughty paper fortune from the bare-bottomed shrine maiden and picked up something randy from the souvenir shop, step out onto the balcony to be greeted by sweeping views of the coast.

Atami Hihokan’s sexy history

When the museum first opened to the public in 1980, it was one of over forty adult museums dotting the nation. However, the beginning of the Heisei era in 1989 brought with it an increased desire to “refine” the more vulgar corners of Japan. One by one, Japan’s adult museums found themselves shuttered and forgotten.

Photo by: seinahirota After you’ve seen enough fine booty, take a look out over Atami’s sweeping coastline.

The Atami Adult Museum is the last of these Showa-era (1926-1989) pleasure halls and continues to welcome 300 to 600 patrons daily, from curious couples to gaggles of giggling grandmothers.

It’s easily reachable from the relaxing hot spring town Atami via ropeway. Fill up on freshly-caught seafood or wind down at one of the town’s hot spring baths afterward.

What’s with Japan and penises? We don’t know, but the annual Kanamara Penis Festival is a total riot you should see for yourself.