Youunji: Buddhist Temple with a Stylish Cafe
Need to cut ties? Or perhaps find a good match? You can pray for all these at Youunji, and dine at a lovely garden cafe, too.
Tokyo Sakura Tram Travel Guide: Explore Tokyo Off the Beaten Path on the Toden Arakawa Line
Find the best stops along the Toden Arakawa Line with this Toyo Sakura Tram travel guide. Cherry blossom spots included!
Oiwa Inari Shrine and the Big Bad Boss of Vengeful Female Ghosts
Meet Lady Oiwa, the big bad boss of vengeful female ghosts.
Love and Cherry Blossoms at Sakura Jingu
Pray for love at Sakura Jingu where you can write down your wish on a pink ribbon and tie it onto a cherry blossom tree.
Pray Yourself Pretty at Kawai Shrine in Kyoto
Visit Kawai Shrine in Kyoto and draw your ideal face. The gods just may hear your prayers and grant your wish!
Shibarare Jizo: The Rope-Tied Statue that Grants Wishes
Kinky? Spooky? Nah, this rope-tied “Shibarare Jizo” has an amusing story behind it, and I bet you’d want to tie a rope around it, too, when you learn what it’s all about.
Unedori Shrine: Love Wishes on Red Strips of Cloth
People say that Unedori, your wish will come true if you write it on a red piece of cloth and tie it using only your left hand.
The Baby-Eating Enma Statue of Taisoji
“Shh,” the mother said to her baby. “Enma will eat you if you don’t behave.”
Iya Valley in One Day: Forest Monorail, Vine Bridges & Scarecrows
Any adventurer would find themself enchanted with Iya Valley’s breathtaking views, ranging from dramatic landscapes to the lonesome beauty of a depopulated village.
Inside Japan’s Scarecrow Village: The Fascinating Life-Sized Dolls of Nagoro
Deep in Iya Valley, a tiny village replaces its lost people with dolls.