2 Best Sights in Nagoya, Ise-Shima, and the Kii Peninsula, Japan

This castle stands today because of one man's determination and wealth. The first castle built here was destroyed by a rainstorm in 1612, before it was completed. More than 300 years later, local resident Katsu Kawasaki financed a replica that sits atop vertiginous 98-foot stone walls—be careful when it's windy. Kawasaki also paid for the Basho Memorial Museum, built in memory of Japan's famous wandering poet, Matsuo Basho, which stands near the castle in Ueno Park.

The Iga-Ryu school of ninjutsu was one of the top two training centers for Japan's ancient spies and assassins in the 14th century. At the ninja residence, a guide in traditional dress explains how they were always prepared for attack. The hidden doors and secret passages are ingenious. Energetic demonstrations of ninja weapons like throwing stars, swords, daggers, and sickles are fun, and afterwards you can try out the throwing star. If you want to walk around the museum and town dressed up as a ninja, staff can point you to shops where you can rent all the gear. One special exhibit gives you some background on ninja history and techniques, while another displays the disguises and encryption used here, as well as the inventive tools that enabled them to walk on water and scale sheer walls. The museum is in Ueno Park, a 10-minute walk up the hill from Uenoshi Station.