jacs's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Ishinomaki, Japan

Cat Island

On Japan's Tashirojima Island, cats are king.
The Hague, Netherlands

Celestial Vault

Hidden within a Netherlands crater is a stone bed that lets those who lie in it see the sky as a curved surface.
Nara, Japan

Buddha's Nostril

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.
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.
Stonehaven, Scotland

Dunnottar Castle

The ruins of this gorgeous clifftop castle look like something from a fantasy novel.
Sapporo, Japan

Dog's Roasted Sweet Potato Stand

The only thing sweeter than the potatoes is the canine proprietor of this roadside stall.
Himeji, Japan

Kokoen Garden

Nine Gardens in one—with tea service.
Shirakawa-mura, Japan

Shirakawa-go

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.
Tokyo, Japan

The Giant Ghibli Clock

Tokyo’s only Vaudeville-cuckoo clock–steampunk-Victorian curio cabinet time piece.
Tokyo, Japan

Shakaden Reiyukai Temple

Starship-temple contains 400 tons of drinking water and offers free Japanese lessons.
Hayakawa, Japan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

The oldest hotel in the world has been operated by the same family for over 1,300 years, even catering to samurai.
San Jose, California

The Winchester Mystery House

A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.
Odessa, Ukraine

Darth Vader Statue

A monument to Lenin has been transformed into a statue of everyone's favorite black-helmeted, fool-choking Sith Lord.