In 1977, an eccentric book lover formed a micronation for book lovers.

Estimated to be more than 5,000 years old, this yew may be Britain’s oldest.

A rocky sea serpent hides caves, blowholes, and a spectacular natural bridge.

This tall stone wall with no door and ill-matched windows was built centuries ago, and used as a shelter for domesticated pigeons.

The seaside ruins of an ancient salt production facility.

A harem-inspired Moorish fantasy design in a Victorian-era Welsh castle.

Preserved behind glass, the ruins of a medieval building used to store human remains.

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

The former site of Fukuoka’s legendary ramen joint works hard to guide customers to the “original” original.

In the oldest zen temple stands a descendant of the very tree that introduced tea to Japanese culture.

This is no ordinary coffee chain outlet—it's an architectural masterpiece.

The seat of the lost Ryukyu Kingdom has survived numerous fires and wars over the centuries.

The giant figure on the back of this turtle-shaped temple actually hides a memorial pendulum.

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

The largest volcanic caldera in Japan holds an entire city in its maw.

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

One of the world's largest tanks mimics the experience of watching rare whale sharks, giant rays, and deep sea creatures from the ocean floor.

This little replica of Lady Liberty provides a bit of NYC in a Japanese city.

Unusual hexagonal rocks formed by cooling lava named for their resemblance to traditional Japanese tatami mats.

The world’s first hotel to be run by robots.

A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

Steaming blood-red hot spring from hell.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

Legend has it the lovelorn tears of a princess and a shepherd boy formed the blue and green twin lakes in the Azores archipelago.