White beach sands made of the remains of tiny, star shaped creatures.

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.

Made to improve road safety, these policemen-like figurines in Miyakojima island have earned an enthusiastic fanbase.

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

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

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.

An unexpected curiosity cabinet hidden within a department store in the Japan Post tower.

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

The world's largest drain sits below the city of Kasukabe, Japan.

This ancient temple is set up to take you on a pilgrimage of self.

A museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo's often-overlooked working-class district.

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

Inside the columbarium, thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guard the ashes of the dead.

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

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

A bibliophile's heaven that contains hundreds of bookstores, offering over a third of secondhand books for sale in Tokyo.

The 43-mile route crosses through six islands with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea.

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

A disconnected rotary phone for "calling" lost loved ones offered a unique way of dealing with grief in disaster-stricken Japan.

The world’s first hotel to be run by robots.

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