A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

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

This is no ordinary coffee chain outlet—it's an architectural masterpiece.

This retro café is a remnant of Japan’s post-war Argentine tango craze.

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

A sad reminder of the World War II bombing stands largely unnoticed on a street corner.

This gnome sculpture and his wonderous hat forces train passengers to do a double-take.

Sample specialties from Xinjiang at this Shinjuku neighborhood gem.

A touching statue dedicated to Japan's first therapy dog.

Exploring crime and punishment in feudal and pre-modern Japan.

Emerging from the sidewalk, this sculpture of a whale commemorates the importance of baleen in traditional Japanese puppetry.

Designed by a computer, this intricate network of fluorescent green pipes has taken over a subway station.

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”

This battleship of a building was designed by a famed "mad architect."

A hole-in-the-wall antiquities museum in one of Tokyo's most popular megamalls.

This small Japanese street is lined with figures, sculptures and a shrine dedicated to frogs.

This Metabolist, retro-futuristic residential complex resembles a cyberpunk space colony established on Earth.

Losing lottery tickets are deposited at this shrine in hopes of better luck.

A stretch of the Iwai River that features beautiful rocky cliffs, rapids, and flying dango.

This park boasts a unusual collection of curious monuments from around the world, from Micronesia to Antarctica.

Over 40 species of fern cover the canyon walls of this lush green bowl, cut off from the bustle of the world by a cave entrance.

There's light and a dreamlike panorama at the end of this tunnel.

This airy five-floor library and museum houses thousands of books and rotating exhibits on Japanese monsters and anime.

A small laundromat covered wall-to-ceiling with portrait drawings.