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

One in a pair of subterranean caves created by an ancient eruption of Mount Fuji.

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

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

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

Watch out for the two-story Godzilla made out of tires.

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

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

This exacting restaurant will charge a fine for every grain of rice you've left behind.

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

"Bug Bug" Land, a natural park for beetle watching, still hasn't fully recovered from Fukushima's nuclear disaster.

These wondrously illuminated caverns extend under the mountains of the Fukushima Prefecture.

This brothel-turned-restaurant features plenty of surprises and elaborate, extravagant architecture.

This museum showcases the art of ancient sword-making.

Shrine dedicated to boars that is believed to cure foot and leg injuries.

The giant figure on the back of this turtle-shaped temple actually hides a memorial pendulum.

When this clock strikes a certain time, puppets showcase a story of life in Edo Japan.

Hidden by the roadside in the Iya Valley, this gem brings together folk monsters and the region's unique geography.

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

Giant art made in Japanese rice fields.

Ever needed a chocolate-filled crepe in the wee hours of the morning?

These unique toilets feature transparent glass covered in PDLC film.

Existing for more than four centuries, the last of Hakone’s historic teahouses serves a sweet, mold-based rice drink.

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