Chichibu Chinsekikan (Hall of Curious Rocks)

The Chichibu Chinsekikan, or the Hall of Curious Stones, is a privately owned museum in Chichibu famous for its peculiar inventory. Its main attractions are jinmen-seki, stones that naturally look like faces. 

On the second floor are glass cases full of stones resembling, well, pretty much everything. There are stones that take on features of pop culture icons such as Jack Sparrow, Elvis Presley, and even Donkey Kong. Also among the collection are a myriad of stones that resemble Japanese celebrities, politicians, and anime characters. Some are more complex than just faces, forming silhouettes of ducks and sheep, one resembles the Grand Canyon, another, the forest of Guilin. It’s a strange fusion of geology and outsider art, sure to give visitors giggles and chuckles.