A tiny cafe that recreates the Japanese elementary school lunch experience.

A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation.

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

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

One of the first hotel rooms in a pod.

Life's work of sculptor Elisabet Ney remains preserved in her last studio.

This eclectic Austin curiosity shop is home to all things strange and unusual.

A tribute to the "toughest woman on the Texas frontier," who survived a famous battle and five husbands.

This unique structure in suburban Austin is made up entirely of other people's castaways, and constantly changing.

A view-altering observatory at the University of Texas.

The upstairs reading room is packed with millions of rare books, literary manuscripts, and historical treasures.

A store full of vintage and indie toys designed to bring out the kid in even the crustiest of adults.

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

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

This pond is so stunning it looks like you've stepped into one of Monet's masterpieces.

Japan's hottest hot spring has a memorable name.

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

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

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.

A mysterious set of tunnels carved in the hills of rural northern Kyushu.

A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.