Unbeknownst to many, an ancient burial mound hides in plain sight in Ueno Park.

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

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

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

Once a year, these 'visitor deities' chase away evil spirits with a phallic-shaped staff.

The magical, mossy forest that inspired 'Princess Mononoke.'

This train station meeting spot is an actual, millennia-old tree from the island of Yakushima.

This kitsch-forward diner is dedicated to an almost-forgotten “one-cent” prototype of okonomiyaki.

The groundbreaking Japanese shrine maiden who invented the art of kabuki.

This Kyoto Starbucks takes coffee drinkers back in time.

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.

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

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese shrine.

The 43-mile route crosses through six islands with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea.

Giant sand sculptures of famous people and places are on display near the Tottori sand dunes.

This bridge is so steep it looks like a rollercoaster.

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.

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

An ancient mountain-cut pass runs largely forgotten in the suburbs of Kamakura.

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

After being lost for decades, this striking mural depicting the atomic bomb covers the wall of a busy Tokyo metro station.

The world's largest permanent architectural projection display entertains audiences nightly with 28-story light shows.

Tokyo’s only Ainu restaurant serves Indigenous food from northern Japan.

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