Founded over a thousand years ago, this shrine is said to be built on the site of a warlord's harem prison.

A calico cat named Tama was the wildly popular Super Station Master at this train stop in southeast Japan.

Children's literature inside, forest all around.

A small island with no monkeys but plenty of military ruins.

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.

This ruined Japanese stripclub sits half burnt to the ground.

Giant animal sculptures are created with the rice straw leftover from the fall harvest each year.

These Japanese gardens are blankets of light for dark winter nights.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

The Hanshin Expressway goes right through its 5th, 6th, and 7th floors.

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

An astounding annual light display honors the victims of one of Japan's most devastating earthquakes.

Japan's largest area of "pink moss" turns the hillside bright pink every spring.

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

Cherry blossom season comes early in this Japanese town where pink flowers line the streets and riverbanks.

Unusual hexagonal rocks formed by cooling lava named for their resemblance to traditional Japanese tatami mats.

A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."

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

A Japanese corporation has turned this small island town into living modern art gallery.

We heard you like volcanoes so we put a volcano in your volcano so you can die for sure...

Starship-temple contains 400 tons of drinking water and offers free Japanese lessons.

Steaming blood-red hot spring from hell.

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.

This pond is so stunning it looks like you've stepped into one of Monet's masterpieces.