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

In Asakusa, Tokyo's very own Walk of Fame.

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

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

Steampunk, humanoid sculptures crawl on all fours in a Tokyo plaza.

Daikon radishes are offered to the Japanese Buddhist counterpart of the Hindu god Ganesha at this historic hilltop temple.

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.

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

Once a black market electronics marketplace, now an otaku shopper's paradise.

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

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

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.”

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

A railway station takeout shop sells boxed meals in containers shaped like trains and snowmen that hold the country’s abundant regional delicacies.

The school tested mustard gas for the U.S. Army during World War I.

Look closely and you’ll notice that the color changes a third of the way up the tower.

An unassuming, powerful monument north of the U.S. Capitol bears witness to the resilience of Japanese Americans during a time of grave injustice.

Light bulbs, scrap wood, and tinfoil comprise this homemade throne of the gods.

The "lovely red Vega" of the legendary record-settling pilot.

Washington's iconic carousel has a nice piece of Civil Rights history.

This unique museum cafeteria showcases the history and regional diversity of African American cuisine.

Decades before the scandal, this staircase on the river was a literal "water gate."

The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.