joahnelson's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Leaderboard Highlights
joahnelson's activity rankings
1st
Places visited in Onomichi, Japan
3rd
Places visited in Minakami, Japan
Loading map...
Onomichi, Japan

Ribbon Chapel

This high-design church is made up of two dizzying spirals meant to evoke the weaving together of marriage.
Matsuyama-shi, Japan

Kururin Ferris Wheel

A giant rooftop ride with unbeatable views of Matsuyama city, the nearby mountain ranges, and the Inland Sea.
Mito, Japan

Mito Low District Water Tower

This beautiful defunct water tower adds a European flair to a traditional Japanese neighborhood.
Tokyo, Japan

Museum of Kites

This tiny museum hidden above a restaurant houses thousands of modern and traditional kites.
Tokyo, Japan

Garden of Unborn Children

Rows of stone statues are dressed up to mourn children that are lost before birth.
Tokyo, Japan

Tokyu Plaza Rooftop Ferris Wheel

The small candy-colored ride is the last rooftop Ferris wheel in Tokyo.
Kyoto, Japan

Hair Rope of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple

When this massive wooden temple ran out of rope, they made one out of devotees' hair.
Minakami, Japan

Mount Tanigawa

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

Peeing Boy of Iya Valley

A statue erected on an infamous cliff where young boys would hold dangerous "pee offs" to prove their mettle.
Kyoto, Japan

Kiyomizu-Dera Temple

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.
Tokyo, Japan

Odaiba Statue of Liberty

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.
Onomichi, Japan

Shimanami Kaido Bikeway

The 43-mile route crosses through six islands with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea.
Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.
Tokyo, Japan

Akihabara Electric Town

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.
Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshima's Hypocenter

A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.
Tokyo, Japan

Hachiko

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation.
Kyoto, Japan

Tenryu-Ji Shrine's Bamboo Trail

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese Shrine.
Himeji, Japan

Kokoen Garden

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

Sengaku-Ji

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.
Kyoto, Japan

RyĹŤan-ji

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.
Hatsukaichi, Japan

Itsukushima Shrine

Japanese national treasure originally built in 593 CE.
Kyoto, Japan

Sanjūsangen-dō

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.
Tokyo, Japan

Giant GUNDAM Robot

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.
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.