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

This monument celebrates this shopping district's past history as a feudal silver mint.

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.

Weighing nearly 7 tons, this massive sculpture was carved out of 500-year-old wood and decorated with thousands of jewels.

A shrine dedicated to a 10th-century samurai emperor, whose head is not buried on site (contrary to popular belief).

Guarding the city of Chiyoda is a bizarre insectile creature with a name no one can pronounce.

This isolated Japanese mountain village untouched by time showcases unique and stunning traditional architecture.

Have a soak at this retro bathhouse, where you will find Japan's first electric bath, tiling from Spain, and wood carvings representing the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

This neighborhood thoroughfare is haunted by dozens of homemade monsters.

These turtle-shaped concrete stepping stones provide a unique river crossing in central Kyoto.

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

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

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

Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.

It is believed that this Buddhist temple stands right on the gateway to the underworld.

Legend has it that centuries ago, a ghost once frequented this candy shop to feed her still-living baby.

This compact temple is filled with garlands of colorful balls that represent restrained monkeys.

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

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

This 400-year-old sweet shop serves a delicacy some have described as "edible incense."

More than 300 years old, Kyoto's historic "teahouse" still operates as an invitation-only geisha club.

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