Two versions of Pegasus Bridge remind us of the opening shots of D-day.

A memorial to the nearly 10,000 American soldiers laid to rest on the beaches of Normandy during WWII.

This place bears witness to the loss of many lives during WWII, and stands in stark contrast to the American Cemetery.

A daring D-Day assault by U.S. Army Rangers is commemorated atop the high cliffs of this strategic point.

A tiny street lined with eleven distinct Tanuki statues, each representing a different wish.

Japan's first train station is also the site of Godzilla's first destructive visit to the nation.

According to local legend, anyone who falls on these temple steps will turn into a cat.

This quirky collection of furniture also happens to be a public art installation.

Inspired by the famous sculptures on Easter Island, this head serves as a popular meeting spot by Shibuya Station.

A touching statue dedicated to Japan's first therapy dog.

Steampunk, humanoid sculptures crawl on all fours in a Tokyo plaza.

An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

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

A calico cat named Tama was the wildly popular Super Station Master at this train stop in southeast Japan.

The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes is home to an impressive swan population—some real, some with paddles, and one with an observation deck.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

Legend holds eating just one of these black eggs can add seven years to one's life.

The cutest shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to bunnies.

A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

Drinkslinger is an unlikely vocation for a Buddhist monk, but at this Tokyo bar the enlightenment is served in a martini glass.

Open-air museum with an elaborate sculpture garden, stretching for over 70,000 square-meters.

A displaced shrine that was put back after a string of bad luck.

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.

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