Narrow passes cut out of mountains surround the medieval capital of Japan.

A collection of the specialized tools used to construct Japan’s beautiful architecture.

Home to the world's oldest wooden building.

Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

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

One of the bloodiest and most important battles in Japanese history is recreated with kitschy concrete statues.

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

Nestled in an unassuming residential area, this "forbidden forest" is rumored to spirit away those who dare to enter.

These Japanese ruins have been brought back to life with elaborately recreated buildings.

The floats housed in this hall are more than 100 years old, and are brought out for an annual celebration.

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

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

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

Giant art made in Japanese rice fields.

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

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

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

Elaborate series of tunnels where traces of mass suicide are still visible.

For hundreds of years, participants in this Japanese festival have been making babies cry to ward off demons.

An infamous house made famous by director Takashi Shimizu.

A massive wintry wall of snow up to 66 feet tall flanks a highway through Japan's mountains.

Giant animal sculptures are created with the rice straw leftover from the fall harvest each year.

Be a ninja - or just act like one.

Thirty architectural gems from the 19th- and early 20th-century Tokyo were restored and relocated to this space.