Near the mouth of the Yodo River, this museum offers visitors six floors of hands-on learning about Osaka's raw sewage.

Japan's largest collection of Western-style mansions in the port city of Kobe includes a recreation of Sherlock Holmes' 221B Baker Street quarters.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

A museum run by retired highway engineers who helped rebuild after the Great Hanshin Earthquake.

This massive section of quay destroyed by an earthquake is preserved to remember the past.

The first and oldest mosque in Japan.

A collection of the specialized tools used to construct Japan’s beautiful architecture.

A stunning, storied set of waterfalls you can walk to from the city’s main train station in less than 15 minutes

An abandoned Art Deco hotel nestled on the side of a wooded mountain.

A 59-ft. robot statue looks over the citizens of earthquake-ravaged Kobe.

A 14th-century European chapel sticks out of the facade of a Japanese hotel.

Blowtorches, tuna, and a jolly, chain-smoking proprietor mark this beloved street-food stand.

Nine Gardens in one—with tea service.

A displaced shrine that was put back after a string of bad luck.

This reconstructed castle was once the base of the “Devil King” who almost united the feudal warring states.

In a shopping arcade, a modernized temple deeply tied to feudal Japan’s prominent warlords.

A replica of an ancient alien-like idol humorously represents spectacles in a corner of this shrine complex.

The only Buddhist temple in Japan dedicated to breasts.

Nestled in an unassuming residential area, this "forbidden forest" is rumored to spirit away those who dare enter it.

A bronze ship jutting out of a bridge, a commemoration of Osamu Dazai, a sculpture created by 30 manga legends, and more.

This infamous execution site inspired the beginning of Japan's modernization in the late 18th-century.

Next door to Tokyo DisneySea is a giant sculpture created by Taro Okamoto symbolizing the dynamism of life.

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

The bamboo that helped Thomas Edison develop a longlasting lightbulb.