Tokyo’s only Vaudeville-cuckoo clock–steampunk-Victorian curio cabinet time piece.

The decommissioned steam engine’s whistle can still be heard three times a day at one of Japan’s oldest train stations.

A lonely chimpanzee lures you into a narrow alley leading to this hidden shrine.

Rumored to be a giant robot in disguise, this colossal chef has been the beloved symbol of Tokyo’s kitchenware district for decades.

This water goblin statue represents a 19th-century urban legend about a haunted canal that became a Japanese idiom.

A few hidden stones are said to bring fortune and love.

Rubbing salt on this small stone dog is said to make wishes come true.

Inside the columbarium, thousands of colorful, high-tech Buddhas guard the ashes of the dead.

Not quite the menace it once was, this monster still has some chops.

Colloquially known as “piss alley,” this narrow street filled with tiny bars and barbecue stands looks like it was pulled straight out of “Blade Runner.”

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

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

This enormous monument is one of the most iconic structures in Tokyo, rudely nicknamed "The Golden Turd."

Stuck in a bygone era, the oldest subterranean shopping street in Japan hides beneath the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo.

The decaying adobe remains of an old homestead are just off the beaten path in Joshua Tree National Park.

An old California photo stand has been turned into a shrine to the cozy art of crochet.

A fake town founded by Western movie stars is now becoming a hip desert community.

A music-filled, booze-soaked oasis in the desert.

Scotland's oldest medieval bridge is also among the last reminders of early medieval Aberdeen.

This effigy was crafted to annoy a neighbor after a civil dispute over a foul smell.

This obscure walkway links Edinburgh’s Old Town with one of the city's prime vantage points.

One of only three examples of a stained glass window manufactured by the Tiffany Company in Scotland.

This 16th-century house tells the city's history through old artifacts and quirky tales.

This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.