An astounding annual light display honors the victims of one of Japan's most devastating earthquakes.

A steaming, boiling hellscape sources Hokkaido's thermal baths.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

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

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

This mesmerizingly colorful pond looks like a scene straight out of a fairytale.

Nine Gardens in one—with tea service.

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

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

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

An open-air museum in a mountain valley features works designed to blend in with—and disintegrate back into—their natural surroundings.

This statue has a painful history, but activists have since recontextualized it as a way to educate visitors about the dangers posed by fascist regimes.