The celebrated Tsukiji market will close its doors on October 6th, 2018. The wholesale market is renowned as one of the biggest fish markets in the world. After opening in 1935, Tsukiji also handles the distribution of foods and flowers in central Tokyo.

UNESCO has designated a series of sites associated with the checkered history of Christians in 16th- to 19th-century Japan as the country's 18th World Cultural Heritage Site.

At least this year I knew my legs wouldn't hurt. Last year I had helped carry a 1500-pound portable shrine down 201 stone steps, and, being considerably taller than everyone else on the crew, had felt like I was carrying most of that weight myself.