The remains of a failed attempt at medieval nerdery are hidden deep in the woods of Virginia.

This traditional Japanese-style house doubles as one of James Turrell's colorful works of art.

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

An anthropological theme park that depicts the cultures of around 20 different countries.

This high-design church is made up of two dizzying spirals meant to evoke the weaving together of marriage.

The traditional houses along the coast of this charming Japanese fishing village allow people to sleep above the sea.

If you forgot something to read during your trip to Tokyo, this hostel has you covered.

This adorable birdlike police box is designed based on a play on words.

This bridge is so steep it looks like a rollercoaster.

A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.

Children's literature inside, forest all around.

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

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

Giant sand sculptures of famous people and places are on display near the Tottori sand dunes.

Giant animal sculptures are created with the rice straw leftover from the fall harvest each year.

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

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

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

The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.