The self-mummified monks of Japan.

The original "capsule building" is a masterpiece of Metabolist architecture.

Bioluminescent firefly squid light up this Japanese fishing port.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

Barbies stare from the walls, sit on the tables, and even pop out of cakes at this quirky cafe.

This bar is filled with Star Wars merchandise from around the world, all of it unlicensed knockoffs.

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

Ever needed a chocolate-filled crepe in the wee hours of the morning?

Make your own fake treats at this factory and workshop in the epicenter of Japan's food replica industry.

A monk-run winery inside a Buddhist temple celebrates Japan's crown grape varietal.

One of the largest producers of MSG in the world welcomes visitors to its Kawasaki factory with an albino panda named Aji-Kun.

A cool dive bar, off the beaten track.

A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

The only thing sweeter than the potatoes is the canine proprietor of this roadside stall.

Legend holds eating just one of these black eggs can add seven years to one's life.

The bartenders at this crime-fighting theme cafe are actual private detectives by day.

A restaurant modeled after feudal Japan, where the waitstaff are trained as ninjas.

This historical theme park celebrates all things noodle.

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

This spa theme park lets its guests take a dip in pools of coffee, wine, or ramen broth.

This beloved Baltimore spot features caged dolls, a giant Pez collection, and many, many mannequins.

Storms, funding, and in-fighting have kept this Bermuda church from ever being completed.

One of the largest artillery pieces in the world sits in a Washington D.C. parking lot.

A historic neighborhood church is reborn as a psychedelic arts collective.