A network of ancient tunnels and vaulted chambers with mystical Buddhist reliefs, built for ascetic training.

A bizarre statue of a Buddhist goddess made from 20,000 insects.

This is no ordinary coffee chain outlet—it's an architectural masterpiece.

A gorgeous, nostalgic café housed in a lofty old warehouse, lit only by petroleum lamps.

The enigmatic symbol on this incineration plant's smokestack is, in fact, a one-of-a-kind clock.

This dazzling three-story shop showcases the art and history of music boxes, a popular novelty in Japan.

This theme park is not in Tokyo, not especially German, and certainly not a village.

Perhaps the world's cheapest vending machines.

Unchanged for decades, World War II-era bullet holes and nostalgic ghost signs still haunt this desolate train station.

A collection of nostalgic items from the Showa era with an exhibit on the local ghost story of the Snow Woman.

Fifty-odd dinosaur footprints are preserved on this strip of mountain cliff along with ancient ripple marks.

This futuristic-looking museum was built for the centennial of Japan's most innovative toilet.

The remains of a prehistoric settlement with a museum showcasing fascinating archaeological finds next to modern artworks.

Thanks to wordplay, the earthquake-causing catfish monster has become a god of confidence at this shrine.

Cabaret where the show girls are all androids, and the patrons couldn't be more pleased.

This prehistoric site is home to the largest shell midden cluster in Japan.

A hidden alley with seven corners and handmade cat decorations.

This Spanish theme park stands out in the Japanese countryside.

This atmospheric pre-war building is home to one of the few manually operated elevators left in Tokyo.

This village is home to the largest existing settlement of the Ainu, the Indigenous people of Japan.

A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.

A monk-run winery inside a Buddhist temple celebrates Japan's crown grape varietal.

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