Big Buddha at Nihon-ji, Chiba

Along Tokyo Bay in Chiba Prefecture lies a towering 31-meter, stone-carved Buddha.

Truly a tranquil hidden gem, the scenery to get there includes a rope-way journey, hiking that overlooks peaks and the ocean in Nokogiriyama or "Sawtooth Mountain." Finally, you must pay 650 yen to make it to Nihon-ji Temple. The temple is a must see for those who also love hiking. Along the way, I even got a chance to see a pack of wild monkeys!