Largely overlooked, this little fountain on Museum Island is a whimsical tribute to a Prussian king nicknamed the “Fatty Flounder.”

Unbeknownst to many, this fountain was erected as a tomb and still holds the remains of a Frenchman.

Originally built circa 13-14th century, this “snail well” was a resourceful means to draw water in a region where the soil was mostly loam.

The largest example of the “snail well” unique to the Musashino Plateau region.

A collection of nostalgic items from the Showa era with an exhibit on the local ghost story of the Snow Woman.

A hidden alley with seven corners and handmade cat decorations.

The former site of the U.S. military base redeveloped as an art district, boasting a collection of 109 public artworks from 36 countries.

Various accidents and illnesses fell upon the developers who tried to remove these historic trees.

According to local legend, an ancient serial killer nicknamed the “Hag” once haunted this pond.

This “grave” memorializes the 53 rakugo stories that were once banned by the national censorship.

This one-of-a-kind indie publisher-bookshop specializes in archiving historic red-light districts and niche cultural topics of the Shōwa era.

This humble American Craftsman home is where the Disney brothers’ animation business took flight in 1923.

This small chapel built into rock is the oldest place of worship in Luxembourg.

This prehistoric site is home to the largest shell midden cluster in Japan.

This house was once the residence of Aisin-Gioro Pujie, the younger brother of China’s last emperor.

Unchanged for decades, World War II-era bullet holes and nostalgic ghost signs still haunt this desolate train station.

A network of ancient tunnels and vaulted chambers with mystical Buddhist reliefs, built for ascetic training.

Considered an enigma by folklorists, an object of primitive animistic worship lives on in Yamanashi.

A giant man-eating crab monster allegedly left its claw marks on this unassuming boulder.

A monk-run winery inside a Buddhist temple celebrates Japan's crown grape varietal.

According to one legend, this bridge was crafted after monkeys formed a body-bridge across the gorge.

No one knows why this family’s graves stayed on the national museum's premises after all other tombstones were relocated.

This lesser-visited gallery in a corner of the Tokyo National Museum complex is an architectural beauty dedicated to the ancient treasures of Hōryū-ji.

Rumored to be a giant robot in disguise, this colossal chef has been the beloved symbol of Tokyo’s kitchenware district for decades.