This shrine dedicated to a legendary swordsman has become a pilgrimage site for the ill and infirmed.

This giant statue pays homage to this temple's furry residents who keep the landscape pristine.

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.

A rare example of an ancient Japanese hill castle believed to be the fortress of a legendary demon.

A 17th-century Shinto shrine that is home to statues of Mickey Mouse and Pikachu.

This tiny stone in a children's park is what remains of an ancient, once-worshipped object.

Narrow passes cut out of mountains surround the medieval capital of Japan.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

Home to the world's oldest wooden building.

Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

These seven moai figures are the world's only sanctioned replicas of the Easter Island originals.

Japan's hottest hot spring has a memorable name.

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

This incredible mountainside temple is home to intriguing statues of demon-like creatures.

Legend says the goddess this shrine honors curses any couples that pass by.

Birthplace of the Tendai sect and home to the marathon monks.

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.

Nestled in an unassuming residential area, this "forbidden forest" is rumored to spirit away those who dare to enter.

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.

"The Dance of Fools" is Japan's largest dance festival.

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

This ancient shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years since the eighth century.

This beautiful Japanese garden is a memorial to the samurai who literally wrote the book on business as martial art.