This enormous "shamoji" means more to the people of Miyajima than just a way getting rice onto a plate.

Japanese national treasure originally built in 593 CE.

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.

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

Visitors to this temple are greeted by a massive collection of wooden dolls said to bring good fortune.

Japan's first automaton went missing, only to be revived by the Osaka Science Museum.

Perhaps the world's cheapest vending machines.

This brothel-turned-restaurant features plenty of surprises and elaborate, extravagant architecture.

This bathhouse includes an option to soak in radioactive water.

The world's shortest escalator doesn't seem to have any reason to exist other than to hold a world record.

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

These unique toilets feature transparent glass covered in PDLC film.

People from around the world visit the shrine of Japan’s legendarily loyal dog.

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

Although damaged beyond recognition, this stone god is still said to bring good luck to those who tap on him with a pebble.

Rows of stone statues are dressed up to mourn children that are lost before birth.

A 17th-century Shinto shrine that is home to statues of Mickey Mouse and Pikachu.

After being lost for decades, this striking mural depicting the atomic bomb covers the wall of a busy Tokyo metro station.

Only recently added to the shrine, this googly-eyed snail demon of unknown origin is said to have eye-healing powers.

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 taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

A lonely chimpanzee lures you into a narrow alley leading to this hidden shrine.

Peer into this window for an interesting glimpse into the public utilities that make this city run.

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