This Japanese national treasure was originally built in 593.

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

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

Where artisans use centuries-old techniques to build traditional Arabian ships.

This bazaar is one of the oldest in the Arabian world.

This spectacular mosque houses the second-largest chandelier in the world.

On any given day this sprawling market houses literally tons of government-regulated gold, gems, and precious metals.

A preposterously luxurious hotel with gold-plated iPads, Rolls Royce chauffeurs, and a staff that trains by watching "Downton Abbey."

This indoor ski resort has a mountain contained inside a mall.

Squeezing inside this deep, narrow canyon reveals a festival of desert colors.

The only quarter of the Old City not dedicated to a major world religion.

An ancient underground cultic temple where sunlight penetrates on the summer solstice.

The home of the Dead Sea Scrolls is an abstract modernist dream.

Perched above the bustling town of Kerak is a sprawling, ruinous castle that has witnessed nearly a millennia of Levantine history.

Known as the "Valley of the Moon," this Jordanian wadi is one of the most amazing desertscapes on Earth.

A bathhouse from the second Islamic Caliphate decorated with frescoes of constellations, pleasure gardens, and naked ladies.

The world's oldest map of the holy land gives us a fragmented glimpse of the layout of biblical nations.

Gladiators battle and chariots race daily in the ruins of a once-great Roman city.

A more chill but no less fascinating version of the famous ancient archeological site.

An ancient capital city that dates back 3,000 years and harbors many surprises.

One of the oldest and largest castles in the world.

This ornate mosque is said to hold the remains of Muhammad's granddaughter beneath its dome of pure gold.

Only a handful of these gorgeous historic waterwheels remain but even those are in danger from local unrest.