An abandoned Art Deco hotel nestled on the side of a wooded mountain.

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

A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.

It's bad manners to eat and drink on the subways of Tokyo, unless the train is this bar. 

Established over a thousand years ago, this family-run teahouse continues to serve skewers of sweet rice cake to this day.

A bibliophile's heaven that contains hundreds of bookstores, offering over a third of secondhand books for sale in Tokyo.

A Japanese cat island also populated by the descendants of a band of banished samurai.

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

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

Go through the looking glass in Tokyo's Wonderland-themed shop.

Hanging over one of Japan's "hidden valleys," these vine bridges must be remade every three years.

The oldest hotel in the world has been operated by the same family for over 1,300 years, even catering to samurai.

Once the most densely populated place in the world, this island is now a ghost town.

The magical, mossy forest that inspired Princess Mononoke.

A beautiful, dense forest in the shadow of Mount Fuji, with a tragic reputation.

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

On Japan's Tashirojima Island, cats are king.

This spa theme park lets its guests take a dip in pools of coffee, wine, or ramen broth.

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

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.”

Prove you deserve to be fed by Kenny Shopsin.

A touching tribute to a local hero who made sure his neighborhood stayed clean.

This ancient stone bridge dates back to the early Middle Ages.

The often-overlooked ruins of one of the first buildings designed by famous landscape architect Frederick Olmsted.