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

This tiny museum hidden above a restaurant houses thousands of modern and traditional kites.

The divine septet of Japanese fortune gods are rendered in 1,000 year old wood at this peaceful site.

Each year this Japanese temple overflows with scowling, bearded good luck talismans.

Giant sand sculptures of famous people and places are on display near the Tottori sand dunes.

This ordinary set of steps is a must-see destination for fans of a certain romantic anime.

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

Established over a thousand years ago, this family-run teahouse continues to serve skewers of sweet rice cake to this day.

One of Kyoto's oldest food establishments has supplied soba noodles to temple priests and the Imperial Palace.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

A museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo's often-overlooked working-class district.

Inside the columbarium, thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guard the ashes of the dead.

A disconnected rotary phone for "calling" lost loved ones offered a unique way of dealing with grief in disaster-stricken Japan.

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

A train ride to the middle of nowhere gives its passengers some of the most iconic views of Japan's seasons.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese Shrine.

Shrine to Japanese water-goblins, complete with their preserved body parts.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.

This historical theme park celebrates all things noodle.