Hidden by the roadside in the Iya Valley, this gem brings together folk monsters and the region's unique geography.

A cursed torii gate still stands on the edge of Haneda Airport, decades after its shrine's relocation.

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

Turn around and stick your head between your legs for the best view of this tree-covered sandbar.

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

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

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

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

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

This futuristic public park includes large sculptures and an artificial geyser.

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

A monk-run winery inside a Buddhist temple celebrates Japan's crown grape varietal.

The world's longest tunnel with an undersea section.

This shrine dedicated to a legendary swordsman has become a pilgrimage site for the ill and infirmed.

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

Mythical beasts symbolizing the city of Tokyo guard a historic bridge.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

One of the few remaining monuments dedicated to South Boston's Irish heritage.

This museum is dedicated to the cultural history of tobacco and salt, once monopolized in Japan.

Tragic reminders of the 1945 firebombing campaign over Tokyo still haunt this bridge.

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.

This often-overlooked monument was crafted in the shape of the iconic samurai coin to honor an Edo-period mint.

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

Inside this McDonald's you can dine on your Big Mac and fries next to a 2,500-year-old Roman wall.