This vertical pinnacle in China was the inspiration for the floating mountains in the movie “Avatar.”

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.

A part of the world's largest marsh seems to be growing bright red Martian grass.

These layered sandstone mountains in China look like they are made of pressed crayons.

A canvas of crops grow from vibrant red soil in this terraced farmland.

Intensely colorful calcite pools in Southern China.

A fifth-century temple improbably built into the side of a cliff.

A total of 999 stairs lead visitors through a massive hole in a mountain known as the Gateway to Heaven.

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

Narrow passes cut out of mountains surround the medieval capital of Japan.

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.

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

Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

This traditional Japanese-style house doubles as one of James Turrell's colorful works of art.

This high-design church is made up of two dizzying spirals meant to evoke the weaving together of marriage.

An abandoned Art Deco hotel nestled on the side of a wooded mountain.

The iconic castle that withstood a magnitude 6.2 earthquake has become a symbol of resilience.

Nestled in an unassuming residential area, this "forbidden forest" is rumored to spirit away those who dare enter it.

Existing for more than four centuries, the last of Hakone’s historic teahouses serves a sweet, mold-based rice drink.

A network of sandy streets lined with verdant fukugi trees weaves throughout this tiny seaside town.

A mysterious set of tunnels carved in the hills of rural northern Kyushu.

If you forgot something to read during your trip to Tokyo, this hostel has you covered.

The divine septet of Japanese fortune gods are rendered in 1,000 year old wood at this peaceful site.

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka.