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

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This gnome sculpture and his wonderous hat forces train passengers to do a double-take.

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

The world's largest drain sits below the city of Kasukabe, Japan.

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

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

Legend says the goddess this shrine honors curses any couples that pass by.

Tragic reminders of the 1945 firebombing campaign over Tokyo still haunt this bridge.

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.

This enormous monument is one of the most iconic structures in Tokyo, rudely nicknamed "The Golden Turd."

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

Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

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

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

Weighing nearly 7 tons, this massive sculpture was carved out of 500-year-old wood and decorated with thousands of jewels.

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

A shrine dedicated to a 10th-century samurai emperor, whose head is not buried on site (contrary to popular belief).

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.

A statue meant to celebrate peace has also been interpreted as a mother taking away her son's internet privileges.

This monument celebrates this shopping district's past history as a feudal silver mint.

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

A Japanese concept restaurant that feels like a party thrown by the monsters in your closet.