A collection of the specialized tools used to construct Japan’s beautiful architecture.

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

An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

Mythical beasts symbolizing the city of Tokyo guard a historic bridge.

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

The world's longest tunnel with an undersea section.

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

The Yonaguni Monument, a natural formation or the Japanese Atlantis?

Japan's largest and oldest annual procession of floats, begun in 869.

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

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

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

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

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

A giant robo-cockroach building devours Tokyo.

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

This ordinary set of steps is a must-see destination for fans of a certain romantic anime.

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

Starship-temple contains 400 tons of drinking water and offers free Japanese lessons.

The only thing sweeter than the potatoes is the canine proprietor of this roadside stall.

The bartenders at this crime-fighting theme cafe are actual private detectives by day.

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation.

The freshest fish here are the ones you catch yourself.

This mesmerizingly colorful pond looks like a scene straight out of a fairytale.