The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

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

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

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

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

The sound of swaying stalks in this stunning grove has been named a governmentally recognized sound.

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

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.

Oddly touching memorial to a little-remembered nuclear tragedy.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

Shells collected from over a hundred different countries line the walls, floors and ceilings of this fantasy museum.

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

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

An ordinary pond with fish from out of this world.

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

The freshest fish here are the ones you catch yourself.

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.

Bioluminescent firefly squid light up this Japanese fishing port.

Experience park where visitors are told to expect the unexpected.

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

The magical, mossy forest that inspired Princess Mononoke.