The traditional houses along the coast of this charming Japanese fishing village allow people to sleep above the sea.

Stuck in a bygone era, the oldest subterranean shopping street in Japan hides beneath the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo.

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.

A mysterious set of tunnels carved in the hills of rural northern Kyushu.

A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.

Founded over a thousand years ago, this shrine is said to be built on the site of a warlord's harem prison.

You can still find treasures on the pebbly beaches of one of the world's oldest jade-producing areas.

Kawaii meets poisonous at this unique art gallery.

Children's literature inside, forest all around.

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.

For hundreds of years, participants in this Japanese festival have been making babies cry to ward off demons.

This active volcano's siren song to suicide jumpers forced authorities to build a fence.

Giant animal sculptures are created with the rice straw leftover from the fall harvest each year.

Giant sand sculptures of famous people and places are on display near the Tottori sand dunes.

The largest volcanic caldera in Japan holds an entire city in its maw.

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

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.

The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.

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

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.

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

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

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