The sculpture of the deceased cockatoo flops atop its personal plinth.

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

An ordinary pond with fish from out of this world.

If Hello Kitty were Mickey Mouse, this would be Disneyland.

Tokyo’s only Vaudeville-cuckoo clock–steampunk-Victorian curio cabinet time piece.

A magical place that lets you play in and explore the world of Studio Ghibli.

The 400-year-old remains of the samurai invasion of Korea.

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

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

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

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

Unique antiquarian shop specializing in globes, maps, and prints.

Under a glass sidewalk lie the remains of some of Manhattan's oldest buildings.

The oldest family-run luncheonette in New York, last renovated in 1948, still serves food and drinks the old-fashioned way.

A quiet and contemplative oasis in the middle of New York's bustle and riot.

Amid the bustle and noise of the Financial District hides a secluded garden oasis above the city streets.

A historic estate packed with George Washington's heirlooms, and its own nuclear bunker.

A historic neighborhood church is reborn as a psychedelic arts collective.

An underwater restaurant, surrounded by a coral reef.

An Aztec snake god has taken the material form of an apartment complex.

The Byzantine, pre-Columbian, and medieval art at this stately mansion are some of the most under-appreciated collections in D.C.

This unique historical monument features large concrete spheres designed to resemble fallen stars.

A hoard of sky catalogs, astrophysical journals, even the works of Galileo and Copernicus.