This statue of the famed saint is missing his right hand, a rare depiction of his posthumous amputation.

A narrow, dead-end alley hides with a small fox shrine and the untold history of Yokohama's historic red-light district.

The ruins of what is considered the world's oldest university.

A vibrant, 100-foot-tall mural dedicated to Evelyn Nesbit, the tragic icon of the Gilded Age.

A weekly bazaar sells thousands of books, from vintage collectibles to paperbacks sold by weight.

The beautifully designed resting place of Iran's national poet is a masterpiece of modern Persian architecture.

Chronicling the history of Thailand’s unique currencies, from the silver “bullet money” to porcelain gambling tokens of various shapes.

The ruins of a medieval citadel believed to be haunted by a ministry of wish-granting djinns.

A nouveau-riche hilltop “palace” that once provided lodging to more than a hundred fishermen.

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

This historic Erasmus statue was first mistaken for a legendary Chinese inventor, then as a child-eating hag.

Celebrating the history of Hangul, the Korean writing system invented by King Sejong to improve his realm’s literacy.

Allegedly haunted by Walt Disney himself, this inconspicuous lamp is always kept lit in his honor.

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

A smug-looking cat representing an humorous Russian expletive.

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

This gorgeous Peranakan mansion’s family heritage includes a century-old baby gate, which was also used to keep out irresponsible husbands.

An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Hundreds of statues of Buddha’s disciples meditating, napping, sneezing, and picking their noses.

The site where the Emperor of Korea performed the long-forbidden "rite of heaven" to demonstrate his absolute sovereignty.

A bizarre statue of a Buddhist goddess made from 20,000 insects.

This retro café is a remnant of Japan’s post-war Argentine tango craze.

Rice balls symbolize fate and relationship at this adorable shrine, which was once dedicated to the Buddhist Devil.

A small section in the Bank of Korea Museum dedicated to the many varieties of the Joseon dynasty’s iconic coinage.