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

Mythical beasts symbolizing the city of Tokyo guard a historic bridge.

Once the main gateway to Tokyo, sneaking through this checkpoint was a capital offense in feudal times.

It is said that coins washed in the waters here will miraculously multiply.

This 14th-century temple is also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" for its gorgeous gilded reliquary hall.

"The Dance of Fools" is Japan's largest dance festival.

An unexpected curiosity cabinet hidden within a department store in the Japan Post tower.

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

This sawtooth mountain range still bears the strangely lovely marks of its history as a medieval quarry.

The world's largest drain sits below the city of Kasukabe, Japan.

Legend holds eating just one of these black eggs can add seven years to one's life.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

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

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

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

Open-air museum with an elaborate sculpture garden, stretching for over 70,000 square-meters.

This 700-year-old street food market features baby octopus and soy donuts.

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

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

A 20-meter (65-foot) robot towers over Tokyo Bay.

The 10,000 Torii shrine.

This massive wooden building contains a giant Buddha, healing pillars, and tame deer wandering the grounds.

A semi-abandoned replica of Prince Edward Island's Avonlea—in Japan.