At the time of its construction, this type of door was nearly unheard of.

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

This giant fashion model is one of the most beloved symbols of Nagoya.

A kitsch shrine dedicated to the ogre-slaying folktale hero born from a peach.

The largest of its kind in Japan, this century-old wasabi farm is also known for its appearance in an Akira Kurosawa film.

This ancient burial site was once thought to be the home of a race distinctive to Ainu folklore.

A Japanese shrine to dolls.

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

An eerie maze of industrial factories looks like something out of a dystopian sci-fi.

Devoted Buddhists can earn enlightenment in the next life by crawling through this symbolic nostril.

Largest graveyard in all of Japan surrounds a famous mausoleum.

These Japanese gardens are blankets of light for dark winter nights.

Closed for decades, this strange symbol of Japan's Expo '70 has finally opened its psychedelic insides to the public.

A remarkable lava formation encloses a line of Buddhist statues that can't be accurately counted, according to local mythology.

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

A 70-foot-deep ice cave formed by lava from Mt. Fuji on the edge of Japan's "Suicide Forest." 

Hanging over one of Japan's "hidden valleys," these vine bridges must be remade every three years.

A beautiful, dense forest in the shadow of Mount Fuji, with a tragic reputation.

Hot springs monkey spa in the middle of Hell's Valley.

According to local legend, an ancient serial killer nicknamed the “Hag” once haunted this pond.

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

Rubbing salt on this small stone dog is said to make wishes come true.

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”

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