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

Legend says the goddess this shrine honors curses any couples that pass by.

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

Turn around and stick your head between your legs for the best view of this tree-covered sandbar.

Transport yourself to the 1980s era of video games at this themed restaurant and bar.

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

This ancient shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years since the eighth century.

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

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

A tiny collection of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, open only when the owner feels like it.

Founded over a thousand years ago, this shrine is said to be built on the site of a warlord's harem prison.

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

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

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.

Each year this Japanese temple overflows with scowling, bearded good luck talismans.

Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."

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

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.