This infamous execution site inspired the beginning of Japan's modernization in the late 18th-century.

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

An enormous pair of straw sandals woven in the traditional way—to keep demons at bay.

Dedicated to the armor and weapons used by the legendary Japanese warriors.

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

If Hello Kitty were Mickey Mouse, this would be Disneyland.

A taste of the macabre Tokyo's ritzy shopping district.

A painting marks the site of a historic skyscraper destroyed by the Great Kantō earthquake.

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

An eerie reminder to the horrors of World War II.

Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

In 806, Kobo Daishi began meditating on Mount Misen. The Buddhist monk lit this holy fire, which has been kept burning for 1,200 years.

This enormous "shamoji" means more to the people of Miyajima than just a way getting rice onto a plate.

Japanese national treasure originally built in 593 CE.

More than 300 years old, Kyoto's historic "teahouse" still operates as an invitation-only geisha club.

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese Shrine.

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

Legend has it that centuries ago, a ghost once frequented this candy shop to feed her still-living baby.

These turtle-shaped concrete stepping stones provide a unique river crossing in central Kyoto.

A small shrine dedicated to a god of lightning and electronics.

An LED art installation composed of 600 poles wrapped in kimono fabric.

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

A 14th-century European chapel sticks out of the facade of a Japanese hotel.

Every spring, this walkway outside the Japan Mint turns into a cherry blossom tunnel.