A wooden prison doesn't sound like a good idea, yet this abandoned 1950s detention center still stands today.

This village is home to the largest existing settlement of the Ainu, the Indigenous people of Japan.

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

The largest archaeological site from the Yayoi period.

This massive, Edo Period, coin-shaped sand painting is believed to be a source of great luck.

This strange mural located in the Ueno station is filled with traditional Japanese symbolism.

This often-overlooked monument was crafted in the shape of the iconic samurai coin to honor an Edo-period mint.

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

The last remaining predreadnought battleship in the world has been a museum for nearly a century.

This futuristic public park includes large sculptures and an artificial geyser.

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

For centuries, this gold mine was the powerhouse behind the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The former home of queer novelist Yoshiya Nobuko memorializes her contributions to modern-day manga.

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

Unbeknownst to most passersby, this marble statue standing outside an office building is a genuine piece of second-century Rome.

Next door to Tokyo DisneySea is a giant sculpture created by Taro Okamoto symbolizing the dynamism of life.

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

This water goblin statue represents a 19th-century urban legend about a haunted canal that became a Japanese idiom.

This volcanic island in the Pacific just keeps growing and growing.

Nope, not the one in France. The only officially-recognized reproduction of Monet’s garden in Giverny is located in a remote corner of Japan.

The site of Japan’s first archaeological excavation is also the birthplace of fingerprint forensics.

Huts like this were once a hub for the female divers who collected pearls and seafood off Japan's coasts.

A temple made famous by Japanese Buddhist monks who sacrificed themselves at sea.

This iconic sluice gate is a favorite haunt for joggers, fishing enthusiasts, and even ghost hunters.