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

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

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese Shrine.

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

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

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.

The sound of swaying stalks in this stunning grove has been named a governmentally recognized sound.

Installed in 1965, this whimsical slide has spawned a brood of “octopus mountains” across Japan.

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

Guarding the city of Chiyoda is a bizarre insectile creature with a name no one can pronounce.

A precursor to Taro Okamoto’s iconic Tower of the Sun.

A beautiful work of art designed to impress the Allied Forces.

A commemoration of the first Dutchman to reach Japan, whose name still echoes in the heart of Tokyo.

The only Edo-period ferry that is still in operation in Tokyo today.

These ordinary blocks of stone are the last surviving remains of Tokyo's infamous red-light district.

Disused for decades, this freight railway bridge is finally being renovated into a scenic promenade.

A lonely chimpanzee lures you into a narrow alley leading to this hidden shrine.

This monument celebrates this shopping district's past history as a feudal silver mint.

Tatar Russian in origin, the largest mosque in Japan is now an Ottoman-style Turkish culture center.

This museum celebrates the history of Japanese advertising, from feudal business tricks to modern T.V. commercials.

Peer into this window for an interesting glimpse into the public utilities that make this city run.

Sample specialties from Xinjiang at this Shinjuku neighborhood gem.

This infamous execution site inspired the beginning of Japan's modernization in the late 18th-century.