A somber statue commemorating a Danish merfolk-tale.

White beach sands made of the remains of tiny, star shaped creatures.

Along the side of the road on a small Japanese island is an extensive garden of uniquely designed Shisa statues.

This monumental intersection commemorates the day Okinawa switched to driving on the left.

Though not uncommon in western Japan, this Buddha cut out of an ancient sarcophagus is the only example in central Tokyo.

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

This ordinary set of steps is a must-see destination for fans of a certain romantic anime.

In Asakusa, Tokyo's very own Walk of Fame.

Although damaged beyond recognition, this stone god is still said to bring good luck to those who tap on him with a pebble.

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.

Japan's first train station is also the site of Godzilla's first destructive visit to the nation.

Tokyo’s “Kitchen Town” hosts a number of shops selling intricate food replicas.

A King Kong-like gorilla hangs from the top of this commercial building in Tokyo.

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

Mythical beasts symbolizing the city of Tokyo guard a historic bridge.

Four whimsical figures make for an unexpected sight along an urban commuter route.

Go through the looking glass in Tokyo's Wonderland-themed shop.

You can find more than 200 species of tropical plants at this garden owned by a former ambassador.

In the middle of a busy residential neighborhood, a small roofless church being reclaimed by nature.

A schooner, nicknamed "The Unsinkable," with a long history of survival in the Indian Ocean.

One of the oldest restaurants in the Seychelles.

This vestige of Seychelles’s colonial past now resides in a busy intersection and didn’t chime for its first 96 years.

The remains of a 19th-century school and living quarters are perched atop a mountain surrounded by a thick tropical forest.

A British general, a suggestive tree, a map of paradise.