A giant statue of the Buddhist goddess of mercy watches over the town of Ōfuna.

A century-old house transformed into a cat temple by an artist.

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

Dedicated to humankind's achievements in aviation, this Shintō shrine is notable for its Greek-style architecture and collection of aircrafts.

Try maple leaf tempura at the trailside shop that brought it back from oblivion.

Visitors to this temple are greeted by a massive collection of wooden dolls said to bring good fortune.

A mystical shrine dedicated to a forest that once covered the area and the legendary fox spirit who lived there.

Electricians pray for luck at this place where, according to legend, the god of thunder was once trapped.

One of the world's largest ancient burial mounds.

Once a heap of dirt with a shrubbery on it, this unassuming mound in a parking lot turned out to be an ancient tumulus.

A strange tribute to all the fallen souls of war.

This frescoed ancient burial mound is a colorful window into China’s influence in early Japan.

A mountaintop Buddhist temple with panoramic views of Hiroshima.

A group of medieval rock-cut Buddhist statues created to save people from the volcanic hell that surrounds them.

Existing for more than four centuries, the last of Hakone’s historic teahouses serves a sweet, mold-based rice drink.

The centuries-old cobblestones of a feudal highway remain in the woods of Hakone.

This enormous "shamoji" means more to the people of Miyajima than just a way getting rice onto a plate.

In 806, Kobo Daishi began meditating on Mount Misen. The Buddhist monk lit this holy fire, which has been kept burning for 1,200 years.

This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.

An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

This glass wall is gradually filling up with paper cranes, in honor of Hiroshima’s past and dedication to its future.

The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes is home to an impressive swan population—some real, some with paddles, and one with an observation deck.

Home to a legend of the supernatural raccoon dog, a rare wooden structure of Edo, and witnesses of the Tokyo bombings.