This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

Thirty architectural gems from the 19th- and early 20th-century Tokyo were restored and relocated to this space.

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

Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.

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

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

The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

A steaming, boiling hellscape sources Hokkaido's thermal baths.

A rare festival blending religion, blacksmiths, vagina dentata, sex workers, and the straight-up facts of life.

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

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

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

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

Serving you alcohol with a side of insanity. Also, costumes!

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

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

Enormous underground chamber built to detect 'ghost particles' of the universe.

Meet the world's longest tapeworm in a collection that really gets under your skin.

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

The self-mummified monks of Japan.

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.

A massive cave complex boasts some of the clearest water (and most charming bats) in the world.