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

This giant statue pays homage to this temple's furry residents who keep the landscape pristine.

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

These seven moai figures are the world's only sanctioned replicas of the Easter Island originals.

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

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

A statue of a mischievous raccoon towers over this city park.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

The world's shortest escalator doesn't seem to have any reason to exist other than to hold a world record.

Inside the columbarium, thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guard the ashes of the dead.

Burial mound for the ears and noses of thousands of mutilated Korean soldiers.

This town near Nagasaki is flecked with fruit-flavored bus stops.

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.

The divine septet of Japanese fortune gods are rendered in 1,000 year old wood at this peaceful site.

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.

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

A Catholicism-themed restaurant where sacrilege is on the menu.

Drinkslinger is an unlikely vocation for a Buddhist monk, but at this Tokyo bar the enlightenment is served in a martini glass.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

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 70-foot-deep ice cave formed by lava from Mt. Fuji on the edge of Japan's "Suicide Forest." 

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