While the Meguro Parasitological Museum may at first seem little more than a freak show, visitors soon learn more about the profound nature of these strange creatures.

"I guess they come here through curiosity to see the gross stuff but they become rather serious once they start observing the displays," curator Jun Araki said. "There is no screaming heard."

According to Araki, the museum is the world's only institute dedicated to showcasing parasites. It was established by a local general practitioner, Satoru Kamegai, in 1953.