These sculptures were created by a 17th-century artist who had never seen an elephant.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Is this cat asleep or just pretending?

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

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

Burial mound for the ears and noses of thousands of mutilated Korean soldiers.

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

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

This statue of Buddha has a distinctive hairstyle meant to represent an unfathomably long period of meditation.

This kitsch-forward diner is dedicated to an almost-forgotten “one-cent” prototype of okonomiyaki.

A train ride to the middle of nowhere gives its passengers some of the most iconic views of Japan's seasons.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

An ancient Greek physician is honored as a god at this hole-in-the-wall shrine.

A small shrine dedicated to a god of lightning and electronics.

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese shrine.

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

Surreal giant face-pillars welcome visitors from across the globe to this hotel.

The Hanshin Expressway goes right through its 5th, 6th, and 7th floors.

A 14th-century European chapel sticks out of the facade of a Japanese hotel.

A precursor to Taro Okamoto’s iconic Tower of the Sun.

A lonely chimpanzee lures you into a narrow alley leading to this hidden shrine.

A commemoration of the first Dutchman to reach Japan, whose name still echoes in the heart of Tokyo.

Mythical beasts symbolizing the city of Tokyo guard a historic bridge.