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

A train ride to the middle of nowhere gives its passengers some of the most iconic views of Japan's seasons.

One of Kyoto's oldest food establishments has supplied soba noodles to temple priests and the Imperial Palace.

Burial mound for the ears and noses of thousands of mutilated Korean soldiers.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

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

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

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

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

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese Shrine.

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.

An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

Losing lottery tickets are deposited at this shrine in hopes of better luck.

The site where the poet Matsuo Bashō read one of the first haiku that comprise his famous travelogue.

Exploring crime and punishment in feudal and pre-modern Japan.

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”

A few hidden stones are said to bring fortune and love.

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

A shrine dedicated to a 10th-century samurai emperor, whose head is not buried on site (contrary to popular belief).