The seat of the lost Ryukyu Kingdom has survived numerous fires and wars over the centuries.

The largest of its kind in Japan, this century-old wasabi farm is also known for its appearance in an Akira Kurosawa film.

The largest archaeological site from the Yayoi period.

These tiny pine-covered islands have inspired art and poetry for centuries.

Once the main gateway to Tokyo, sneaking through this checkpoint was a capital offense in feudal times.

A unique Shinto shrine filled with bunnies and wordplay.

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

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

Birthplace of the Tendai sect and home to the marathon monks.

This giant seated Bhudda of Healing dates to the 1780s.

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

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

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

This bridge is so steep it looks like a rollercoaster.

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.

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

The original "capsule building" is a masterpiece of Metabolist architecture.

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

This subterranean oyster house has been the pearl of Grand Central Station since 1913.

Everyone from Mark Twain to Teddy Roosevelt has a pipe hanging from the walls of this historic chophouse.

Whisper secrets in a busy station only to be heard on the other side of this acoustic arch.

The oldest academic institution in Japan provides a glimpse of university life during the days of the samurai.

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

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