Architectural Oddities in Japan

A grand Buddhist temple with Indian influences.

A rare double-receiver payphone housed in a fake tree.

High in the trees or suspended between cables, these surreal structures are the works of a unique Japanese architect.

A colorful, architectural experiment designed to increase a resident's longevity.

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”

Although it has never been a secret ninja base, this shrine still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

This battleship of a building was designed by a famed "mad architect."

Curious onlookers have suspected this strange structure is a secret government base.

This retro underwater observation tower would make the perfect lair for a sea-loving villain.

This sports stadium was made from 25,000 cypress trees and ranks among the world's largest wooden domes.

This whimsical garbage disposal facility receives around 12,000 accidental tourists each year.

An ingenious solution to a tricky engineering problem, this spiraling bridge takes drivers for a dizzying spin.

An exact replica of Bill Clinton's childhood home stands within a resort in Japan.

This adorable birdlike police box is designed based on a play on words.

Though technically an illegal structure, this eclectic DIY apartment complex is beloved by its residents.

A 14th-century European chapel sticks out of the facade of a Japanese hotel.