The traditional houses along the coast of this charming Japanese fishing village allow people to sleep above the sea.

This ancient shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years since the eighth century.

The 19th-century pharmacy (now a used bookstore) was featured in James Joyce’s "Ulysses," and has changed very little to this day.

A whimsical brother of the nearby Fallen Angel statue takes the falling part quite literally.

Go through the looking glass in Tokyo's Wonderland-themed shop.

An ancient burial ground believed to have been used for ritual sacrifice.

A monument to the man who almost killed Hitler.

A tribute to the Polish insurgents who fought in the failed attempt to end their city's Nazi occupation.

Though its celestial ceiling is impressive, the true star is the vast collection of French books.

This unique historical monument features large concrete spheres designed to resemble fallen stars.

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

A tiny, remote island packed with wonders both natural and geeky.

Mrs. Mallard and her brood are a beloved fixture in Boston Public Garden.

J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and other "Inklings" met at the Oxford pub to discuss the now legendary fantasy stories they were writing.

The home of the first American-born saint is one of the only curved buildings in New York.

Scores of vintage street lamps shine along L.A.’s Miracle Mile.

Under a glass sidewalk lie the remains of some of Manhattan's oldest buildings.

Remarkably realistic Florida shoal bass "swim" inside this large globoid sculpture.

A Jenga-style cylindrical tower of books that appears to go on forever.

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

An eerie, existential museum dedicated to the author of "The Metamorphosis."

Hang out with thousands of butterflies in one of the world's largest such enclosures.

Thirty architectural gems from the 19th- and early 20th-century Tokyo were restored and relocated to this space.

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