The freshest fish here are the ones you catch yourself.

Drinkslinger is an unlikely vocation for a Buddhist monk, but at this Tokyo bar the enlightenment is served in a martini glass.

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

A comprehensive museum dedicated to Africa's oldest modern republic.

Home to a legend of the supernatural raccoon dog, a rare wooden structure of Edo, and witnesses of the Tokyo bombings.

A statue meant to celebrate peace has also been interpreted as a mother taking away her son's internet privileges.

Although damaged beyond recognition, this stone god is still said to bring good luck to those who tap on him with a pebble.

Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

This enormous monument is one of the most iconic structures in Tokyo, rudely nicknamed "The Golden Turd."

It's bad manners to eat and drink on the subways of Tokyo, unless the train is this bar. 

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.

Dedicated to the armor and weapons used by the legendary Japanese warriors.

A bibliophile's heaven that contains hundreds of bookstores, offering over a third of secondhand books for sale in Tokyo.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

A bronze statue commemorating his royal meowjesty, Toulouse.

The feral felines of Roosevelt Island have a small army of allies and an abandoned hospital all to themselves.

Bioluminescent firefly squid light up this Japanese fishing port.

Once the most densely populated place in the world, this island is now a ghost town.

In the oldest zen temple stands a descendant of the very tree that introduced tea to Japanese culture.

Sidle into a side alley for a taste of sumo wrestlers' traditional hot-pot soup, in a tiny restaurant founded by a former competitor.

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.

This enormous "shamoji" means more to the people of Miyajima than just a way getting rice onto a plate.

Former military fort and site of untold horrors during WWII, this island may become the Adriatic's next luxury resort.

This iconic “station bento” comes in an earthenware pot you can take home and repurpose.