Lavishly decorated manhole covers, pink polka-dotted backhoes, toilets with warmable seats, blow dryers (and other bells and whistles). It's just another day in Japan, where the futuristic and zany stands side-by-side with the rooted and the venerable, and there's a festival going on somewhere almost every day of the year.

In Uniquely Japan, Abby Denson—author of Cool Japan Guide and Cool Tokyo Guide—uses her own personal drawings and photos to highlight the things that make Japan truly different from every other place on the planet. From the ramen and sushi we've all come to love to the fantastic creatures who now star in their own video games and anime, the comic artist takes you on a romp through Japan's distinctive popular and traditional culture.

Here are just a few of the favorite bits and pieces Abby presents:

• Vending machines for everything from eggs to electronics
• Tiny alleyways where you may come across a shrine—or a hip-hop bar
• Silly mascots promoting serious businesses
• Whimsical architecture for neighborhood police stations
• Stamps for your name (no signature is complete without one), or to collect at railway stations and castles
• Colorfully painted, hardworking construction vehicles that beep and talk as you pass by
• And, of course, the ridiculously delicious food: noodles, bento boxes, and gorgeous sweets