The 10,000 Torii shrine.

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

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

This traditional Japanese shrine is dedicated to four Shinto deities.

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

This historic castle is one of the oldest and most impressive in all of Japan.

A cursed torii gate still stands on the edge of Haneda Airport, decades after its shrine's relocation.

Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

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

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.

This enormous monument is one of the most iconic structures in Tokyo, rudely nicknamed "The Golden Turd."

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

A sharp sculpture made of thousands of pieces of jagged glass.

The oldest cemetery of modern-day Athens blends the modern and ancient worlds.

An ancient octagonal weather station named for the eight Greek gods of wind.

The Cycladic architecture makes this Athens neighborhood feel like an island paradise hidden in the shadow of the Acropolis.

This ancient Greek place of assembly and marketplace is being revealed layer by layer below the modern Athens cityscape.

142 ceramic steps become a mosaic once a year.

Back in 1952, you could get a mushroom cloud chaser with your atomic cocktail.

While he no longer has an eatery to give him context, this off-brand Paul Bunyan still holds his giant hot dog with pride.

This historic Illinois "Muffler Man" has been converted from axe-touting lumberjack to rocket-wielding space ace.