In a rural Japanese town that has committed to sustainable practices, even the hotel is made from recycled materials.

This museum showcases the art of ancient sword-making.

Run a wash cycle while sipping a latte at this community-oriented café.

This theme park is not in Tokyo, not especially German, and certainly not a village.

This bathhouse includes an option to soak in radioactive water.

A long-worshipped mountain, considered a "power spot" and suspected to be an ancient pyramid by some.

Over 40 species of fern cover the canyon walls of this lush green bowl, cut off from the bustle of the world by a cave entrance.

Every summer, this shrine sets up a tiny drinking fountain reserved for thirsty apians.

There's light and a dreamlike panorama at the end of this tunnel.

One of the only two archaeological sites in Japan to feature petroglyphs, which some believe to be a long-lost writing system of the gods.

Thanks to wordplay, the earthquake-causing catfish monster has become a god of confidence at this shrine.

A gorgeous, nostalgic café housed in a lofty old warehouse, lit only by petroleum lamps.

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

Fifty-odd dinosaur footprints are preserved on this strip of mountain cliff along with ancient ripple marks.

This unusual "magical shrine" honors a legendary raccoon-dog god that stowed away to Japan from some far-off land.

A network of ancient tunnels and vaulted chambers with mystical Buddhist reliefs, built for ascetic training.

This prehistoric site is home to the largest shell midden cluster in Japan.

An eerie cluster of medieval cave-like tombs carved out of a cliff, hidden in a historic mountain pass.

Home to 800-year-old zen basin, a 400-year-old pilgrim’s path, and a century-old industrial grotto.

The 650 red and white Japanese plum trees of this Tokyo neighborhood blossom each spring.

The only natural gorge in metropolitan Tokyo, with lots of greenery and ancient burial chambers.

Sip “liquid cuisine” made with meat, vegetables, and insects.

The only Kurdish restaurant in Japan invites you to learn and feast.

A lone torii arch stands on a coastal rock where a deity is said to have landed.