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

A cool dive bar, off the beaten track.

A thick blanket of beautiful pampas grass cloaks this unique Japanese landscape.

Rows of stone statues are dressed up to mourn children that are lost before birth.

A dilapidated amusement park with a million-dollar view.

This historic hydroelectric power plant in Japan has been preserved and is open to the public.

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

An eerie maze of industrial factories looks like something out of a dystopian sci-fi.

This mountain's identity is stuck somewhere between a nightmare and a scenic tourist attraction.

An infamous house made famous by director Takashi Shimizu.

The ruins of Japan’s premier water brothel.

As the aging humans of this Japanese village die off one local artisan is replacing them with eerie homonculi.

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.

This ruined Japanese stripclub sits half burnt to the ground.

A tiny collection of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, open only when the owner feels like it.

Coast along one of Japan’s mountain railways for coveted views of magnificent hydrangeas.

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

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

An unlikely hit, this museum is dedicated to the inventor of instant ramen and cup noodles.

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

Japan's largest area of "pink moss" turns the hillside bright pink every spring.

Cherry blossom season comes early in this Japanese town where pink flowers line the streets and riverbanks.

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