Go Here Right Meow: The Gotokuji Temple Cat Shrine in Tokyo

This one is for the cat lovers. For some, it may seem creepy, but for others, this shrine is fascinating. Located in the Setagaya district of Tokyo (which is about a 30-minute train ride out of the main part of the city), is this lovely temple park that holds the origins of the maneki-neko (or beckoning cat). Only about a 5-10 minute walk from the Gotokuji, this sacred area is in a residential area and is free to visitors wanting to come and pay their respects to the purrfect setting (I couldn't resist the cat pun!).

We were there just as the leaves were starting to turn, which was so incredibly lovely and not only are there thousands of cat figurines, there's also a traditional Japanese temple which looks so beautiful set against the autumn leaves (and probably just as beautiful during cherry blossom season). While it's a bit off the beaten path for those visiting Tokyo, I highly recommend taking a short trip out here to see this unique shrine, especially if you adore kitties.