Its collection distills more than 60 years of pop culture in Japan, from Godzilla to Hulk Hogan.

The hometown of a beloved manga artist created a treasure hunt for his popular ghostly characters.

This enormous monument is one of the most iconic structures in Tokyo, rudely nicknamed "The Golden Turd."

A bovine sumo match in which both bulls live to fight another day.

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

Although it has never been a secret ninja base, this shrine still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

This western-themed amusement park is host to a large number of decaying animatronic cowboys.

A unique Shinto shrine filled with bunnies and wordplay.

This snack factory boasts several tributes to its popular line of rice crackers, including a quasi-shrine.

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

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

Along the side of the road on a small Japanese island is an extensive garden of uniquely designed Shisa statues.

According to one legend, this bridge was crafted after monkeys formed a body-bridge across the gorge.

"Excuse me sir, your submarine is blocking my building."

A deserted island in southwest Japan that once sheltered persecuted Christians.

This enormous "shamoji" means more to the people of Miyajima than just a way getting rice onto a plate.

This quirky little private museum is home to more than a thousand stones, carved by nature, that resemble human faces.

Come for the fish sundae, stay for the collection of Studio Ghibli cat buses.

Near the mouth of the Yodo River, this museum offers visitors six floors of hands-on learning about Osaka's raw sewage.

Fans line up at the crack of dawn for a slurpy bowl of deliciousness at this noodle counter inside a factory.

Kawaii meets poisonous at this unique art gallery.

A collection of more than 1,000 teddies from nearly any profession.

This little town supplies Japan with most of its calligraphy brushes, still made by hand from animal fur.

A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.