A bizarre, tuberculosis sanatorium-themed café moonlighting as an underground art gallery.

The lesser-known eastern counterpart to Kyoto’s famous fox shrine.

This giant two-tier celebration cake serves as a befitting advert for the confectionery college it sits on top of.

Legend says the goddess this shrine honors curses any couples that pass by.

This iconic sluice gate is a favorite haunt for joggers, fishing enthusiasts, and even ghost hunters.

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

Haunted house kitsch meets Japanese folklore at this theme bar where patrons can “die” and have their own mock funeral.

A magical place that lets you play in and explore the world of Studio Ghibli.

This statue of what appears to be a feudal lord is actually a tribute to Japan's most beloved comedian.

Considered the oldest intact wooden structure in Tokyo Prefecture, this impressive temple was built in 1407.

The train engine is tucked under an apartment building on a quiet Tokyo street.

An eclectic temple with Chinese architecture, Korean lion-dogs, an Indian god and a legendary 700-year-old tree.

Only the face remains of this giant Buddha statue, which is said to be a source of luck for students.

One of the top 100 sights of feudal Tokyo continues to impress those who visit the lesser temples of Ueno.

A museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo's often-overlooked working-class district.

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

Students pray here in hopes of entering one of Japan’s most prestigious universities.

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

One of the few surviving World War II-era air-raid shelters in Tokyo.

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

This subterranean spot might be the epitome of Japan's baroque, retro coffee houses.

This adorable birdlike police box is designed based on a play on words.

The buildings are among the few Frank Lloyd Wright structures still standing in Japan.

This shrine dedicated to a legendary swordsman has become a pilgrimage site for the ill and infirmed.