South Korea's love of the silly photograph is on full display at this goofy collection of trompe l'oeil paintings.

Drinkslinger is an unlikely vocation for a Buddhist monk, but at this Tokyo bar the enlightenment is served in a martini glass.

A restaurant modeled after feudal Japan, where the waitstaff are trained as ninjas.

Japanese island famous for poison gas and fluffy bunnies.

Transport yourself to the 1980s era of video games at this themed restaurant and bar.

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

The self-mummified monks of Japan.

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

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.

Every color in the rainbow awaits.

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.

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

A 70-foot-deep ice cave formed by lava from Mt. Fuji on the edge of Japan's "Suicide Forest." 

This historical theme park celebrates all things noodle.

This spa theme park lets its guests take a dip in pools of coffee, wine, or ramen broth.

Hanging over one of Japan's "hidden valleys," these vine bridges must be remade every three years.

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.”

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

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

Bioluminescent firefly squid light up this Japanese fishing port.

The oldest hotel in the world has been operated by the same family for over 1,300 years, even catering to samurai.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

Every autumn, this hillside is ablaze with red summer cypress.