A rare festival blending religion, blacksmiths, vagina dentata, sex workers, and the straight-up facts of life.

Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.

Sulphuric gases inhabit a beautiful Japanese island.

"Singing sands" and the world's largest hourglass reside near Japan's Kotogahama beach.

One of the tallest statues in the world, and the tallest statue of a goddess in Japan.

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

It's bad manners to eat and drink on the subways of Tokyo, unless the train is this bar. 

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

This “peasant café” in the middle of Tokyo re-creates the atmosphere of the Japanese countryside.

More tin toys than you can shake a clapping monkey at.

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

This tiny museum hidden above a restaurant houses thousands of modern and traditional kites.

Ever needed a chocolate-filled crepe in the wee hours of the morning?

Roots and stumps that lay inundated for two millennia are on display in Japan's city of three mysteries.

A mysterious set of tunnels carved in the hills of rural northern Kyushu.

A statue erected on an infamous cliff where young boys would hold dangerous "pee offs" to prove their mettle.

This giant bronze Buddha, the third largest in Japan, is the last in an ill-fated series of statues.

The traditional houses along the coast of this charming Japanese fishing village allow people to sleep above the sea.

The third-tallest statue in the world depicts the "Buddha of Infinite Light," complete with observation deck in his chest.

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

A 59-ft. robot statue looks over the citizens of earthquake-ravaged Kobe.

This mountain's identity is stuck somewhere between a nightmare and a scenic tourist attraction.

This ordinary set of steps is a must-see destination for fans of a certain romantic anime.

A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.