Definitely not a clown bar.

No two pieces are exactly the same at Portland's hippo-themed hardware store.

World's only nuclear reactor operated by liberal arts undergraduates.

On East Burnside, a 24-hour vending machine distributes world-class pastries.

Entering this curiosity shop is like stepping into a mad scientist's lab.

A sculpture of a salmon swimming through a brick building.

This abandoned boat sits on a nude beach, is shaped like a UFO, and is covered in graffiti.

Not-so-fearsome tiny trolls live under this wooden train trestle in Portland.

Nestled between a college and a golf course, the garden is home to more than 2,500 rhododendrons.

Instead of fruit, the branches of this tree are brimming with hopes and dreams.

An open-air museum exhibiting a total of 52 century-old buildings, recreating Hokkaido’s “pioneer village.”

From pink dolphins to underwater cities, this museum explores the unseen, mythical world of the Amazon river.

This museum dedicated to divination also honors a local 10th-century prophetess.

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

Only recently added to the shrine, this googly-eyed snail demon of unknown origin is said to have eye-healing powers.

This small Japanese street is lined with figures, sculptures and a shrine dedicated to frogs.

A museum in Hokkaido is housed in a former high school. On its grounds a marker shares the awakening of a man who longs to be reunited with his soulmate in the fictional world of Kcymaerxthaere.

This 24-hour vending machine serves up homemade treats inspired by the local Japanese snow monkeys.

The site of Japan's first major environmental disaster.

This abandoned, spaceship-like building is home to a museum so unpopular that it has been put on hiatus for over two decades.

This bathhouse includes an option to soak in radioactive water.

A natural wonder with mythological ties to the local Ainu tradition.

Over 40 species of fern cover the canyon walls of this lush green bowl, cut off from the bustle of the world by a cave entrance.

This retro café is a remnant of Japan’s post-war Argentine tango craze.