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

The largest collection of model trains in the world is actually run using full-size locomotive technology.

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

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.

Dedicated to the armor and weapons used by the legendary Japanese warriors.

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

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

This sprawling scenic burial ground is the final resting place of Japan's last shogun.

A Japanese cat island also populated by the descendants of a band of banished samurai.

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

Reportedly 1,400 years old, this may be the first of the Fiji Mermaids.

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.

Tokyo’s only Ainu restaurant serves Indigenous food from northern Japan.

The self-mummified monks of Japan.

Japanese island famous for poison gas and fluffy bunnies.

Shrine to Japanese water-goblins, complete with their preserved body parts.

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

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

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.

The oldest hotel in the world has been operated by the same family for over 1,300 years, even catering to samurai.

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.