I thought the most amusing sight was this vending machine for religious talismans. They are made of beautiful embroidered silk and people use them like Catholics use St. Christopher's medals . . . And they carry different 'prayers' for different needs. For example, the one in my car is for travelers, as is another one on my backpack. Students can get them for 'aid' in studying, or to get well.
Parents can get ones for their children's health, or for success at work.
One interesting feature is the hidden floor. From the outside it looks like there are 5 floors, but actually there are six. One has no windows, so people and soldiers could hide there and surprise any invaders. To the right is the magnificent Takase Valley in Japan's northern Alps. The tallest of these peaks are over 10,000', and the two dams visible help generate over 1200 megawatts of energy.