An enormous dragon scales the walls of this 17-story temple.

Sharks, stingrays, and turtles swim in the pools at this former elementary school.

A Buddhist temple covered in intricate designs and carvings made out of seashells and pieces of coral.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

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

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.

Hanging over one of Japan’s “hidden valleys,” these vine bridges must be remade every three years.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

Once the most densely populated place in the world, this island is now a ghost town.

A kitsch shrine dedicated to the ogre-slaying folktale hero born from a peach.

Nope, not the one in France. The only officially-recognized reproduction of Monet’s garden in Giverny is located in a remote corner of Japan.

A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.

This whimsical garbage disposal facility receives around 12,000 accidental tourists each year.

Though technically an illegal structure, this eclectic DIY apartment complex is beloved by its residents.

This ancient shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years since the eighth century.

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

One of the world's largest ancient burial mounds.

A strange tribute to all the fallen souls of war.

As the aging humans of this Japanese village die off one local artisan is replacing them with eerie homonculi.

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

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

Japanese island famous for poison gas and fluffy bunnies.

The avant-garde design was able to bypass strict Soviet regulations on architecture.

Moscow's imposing monument to the Space Age.