The only thing sweeter than the potatoes is the canine proprietor of this roadside stall.

This active volcano's siren song to suicide jumpers forced authorities to build a fence.

The tallest bronze seated statue of the Buddha in Japan.

Japan's largest area of "pink moss" turns the hillside bright pink every spring.

Coast along one of Japan’s mountain railways for coveted views of magnificent hydrangeas.

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

An astounding annual light display honors the victims of one of Japan's most devastating earthquakes.

Cherry blossom season comes early in this Japanese town where pink flowers line the streets and riverbanks.

A real-life replica of a home from Hayao Miyazaki's beloved movie "My Neighbor Totoro."

A disconnected rotary phone for "calling" lost loved ones offered a unique way of dealing with grief in disaster-stricken Japan.

Unusual hexagonal rocks formed by cooling lava named for their resemblance to traditional Japanese tatami mats.

A Japanese cat island also populated by the descendants of a band of banished samurai.

A Catholicism-themed restaurant where sacrilege is on the menu.

Shells collected from over a hundred different countries line the walls, floors and ceilings of this fantasy museum.

Drinkslinger is an unlikely vocation for a Buddhist monk, but at this Tokyo bar the enlightenment is served in a martini glass.

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation.

This pair of small sea rocks has been "wed" using rope and ancient Shinto tradition.

The 43-mile route crosses through six islands with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea.

Transport yourself to the 1980s era of video games at this themed restaurant and bar.

A Japanese corporation has turned this small island town into living modern art gallery.

Abandoned Japanese ghost town gives a glimpse into what our own metropolises may leave behind.

Enormous underground chamber built to detect 'ghost particles' of the universe.

With over 12,000 different species of plants, this botanical garden is Japan's oldest and most diverse.

A Buddhist temple to honor insects that died for science.