Japanese national treasure originally built in 593 CE.

This historical theme park celebrates all things noodle.

Tokyo’s only Vaudeville-cuckoo clock–steampunk-Victorian curio cabinet time piece.

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

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

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

Cabaret where the show girls are all androids, and the patrons couldn't be more pleased.

Fine dining in the bizarre world of Lewis Carroll.

Hot springs monkey spa in the middle of Hell's Valley.

This faux-seedy Japanese arcade is made up to look like a maze of alleys straight out of a cyberpunk dystopia.

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

The sound of swaying stalks in this stunning grove has been named a governmentally recognized sound.

On Japan's Tashirojima Island, cats are king.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

A 50-foot tile mural mosaic for the 100-year anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.

Celebrating the accomplishments of Black firefighters in Los Angeles.

Large but largely ignored, these 42 life-size Liberty Bell replicas were a peculiar, unexplained feature on the facade of a Macy's department store.

The neighborhood shop is a sort of tiny cactus museum full of exotic specimens you can take home.

Beautiful Victorian buildings from L.A.'s forgotten architectural past.

A monthly street "service" of handmade puppets and live original puppets, whose devotees profess has the power to change lives.

Dozens of feral felines rule a segment of Hollywood's only graveyard.

Space program, pneumatics and more, bits and pieces, for movie sets or the common man.

Two men, two visionaries of Venice Beach, one little hotel that smells like cookies.

A "Titanic" superfan changed his name to Jack and set up this strange shrine to the blockbuster, complete with Korean food and Tarot readings.