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

A Japanese train station built around a 700-year-old camphor tree.

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.

This bar is filled with Star Wars merchandise from around the world, all of it unlicensed knockoffs.

An eerie maze of industrial factories looks like something out of a dystopian sci-fi.

A flight of this "ghost staircase" has 40 steps on the way up, but only 39 steps on the way down.

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.

The Hanshin Expressway goes right through its 5th, 6th, and 7th floors.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

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

Meet the world's longest tapeworm in a collection that really gets under your skin.

The only thing sweeter than the potatoes is the canine proprietor of this roadside stall.

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

A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.

One of Japan's most famous sights, the bridge was originally built in 1673.

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.”

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

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

This mesmerizingly colorful pond looks like a scene straight out of a fairytale.

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

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

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

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