3 Hidden Destinations in Asia

Japan

Destinations

Yonaguni Monument

Japan · Okinawa Prefecture

Beneath the turquoise waters off Japan's westernmost island lies a monumental underwater structure, complete with terraces, steps, and right angles, baffling scientists: is it a lost city, or nature's most perfect illusion?

This vast submerged rock formation, sometimes called Japan's Atlantis, features incredible geometric precision that uncannily resembles anci...

Nagoro Scarecrow Village (Nagoro Kakashi no Sato)

Japan · Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku

In a remote Japanese village nestled deep in the mountains, scarecrows outnumber humans by more than ten to one, each one lovingly crafted to replace a lost resident.

Once a bustling hamlet, Nagoro began to depopulate in the early 21st century. One resident, Tsukimi Ayano, started crafting life-sized scare...

Aogashima Island

Japan · Izu Islands, Tokyo Prefecture

Imagine an entire village nestled inside a giant volcanic crater, which itself contains a second, active volcano — welcome to one of the world's most isolated and breathtaking inhabited islands.

Aogashima is a geological marvel: a remote, almost perfectly circular volcanic island in the Philippine Sea, which is essentially a giant ca...