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

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

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

The world’s first hotel to be run by robots.

A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

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

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

Bioluminescent firefly squid light up this Japanese fishing port.

Tokyo’s only Vaudeville-cuckoo clock–steampunk-Victorian curio cabinet time piece.

The divine septet of Japanese fortune gods are rendered in 1,000 year old wood at this peaceful site.

A collection of more than 1,000 teddies from nearly any profession.

These unconventional "tub boats" let locals row around the island's turbulent coast.

This giant statue pays homage to this temple's furry residents who keep the landscape pristine.

A wooden prison doesn't sound like a good idea, yet this abandoned 1950s detention center still stands today.

For centuries, this gold mine was the powerhouse behind the Tokugawa Shogunate.

A museum of space exploration in the UFO capital of Japan.

Although it has never been a secret ninja base, this shrine still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

An unexpected curiosity cabinet hidden within a department store in the Japan Post tower.

Weighing nearly 7 tons, this massive sculpture was carved out of 500-year-old wood and decorated with thousands of jewels.

A miniature shrine in the busy corner of Tokyo's historic Broadway, honoring a sextet of unusual entertainment gods.

In Asakusa, Tokyo's very own Walk of Fame.

Stuck in a bygone era, the oldest subterranean shopping street in Japan hides beneath the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo.

According to local legend, an ancient serial killer nicknamed the “Hag” once haunted this pond.

Tragic reminders of the 1945 firebombing campaign over Tokyo still haunt this bridge.