The man who created the first Japanese-English Dictionary.

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

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.

This frescoed ancient burial mound is a colorful window into China’s influence in early Japan.

A World War II battle site made famous by one man's heroic actions.

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

This ancient temple is set up to take you on a pilgrimage of self.

This beautiful defunct water tower adds a European flair to a traditional Japanese neighborhood.

A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."

Though technically an illegal structure, this eclectic DIY apartment complex is beloved by its residents.

A bovine sumo match in which both bulls live to fight another day.

Historical Japanese-Dutch relations are honored with haunted rides and flower fields in this replica town.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

The Japanese mayo factory famous for its cute mascot.

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

Japanese island famous for poison gas and fluffy bunnies.

Unusual hexagonal rocks formed by cooling lava named for their resemblance to traditional Japanese tatami mats.

The Yonaguni Monument, a natural formation or the Japanese Atlantis?

White beach sands made of the remains of tiny, star shaped creatures.

A museum in Hokkaido is housed in a former high school. On its grounds a marker shares the awakening of a man who longs to be reunited with his soulmate in the fictional world of Kcymaerxthaere.

This historic hydroelectric power plant in Japan has been preserved and is open to the public.

This exacting restaurant will charge a fine for every grain of rice you've left behind.

A steaming, boiling hellscape sources Hokkaido's thermal baths.