From the Road: Kinpo-jinja – Where Silence Breathes

We found the deeply moving Kinpo-jinja Shrine, just outside Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture, completely deserted—tucked among cedar trees that soar more than a hundred feet into the sky. The path leading up from a guardian gate, watched over by two monolithic carved sentinels, felt ancient, carpeted in needles and shadow, bathed in serene silence. Doug walked ahead alone, dwarfed by trunks so massive they seemed to hold up the heavens.

At the top, the shrine radiated quiet perfection—wood, moss, and stillness in flawless harmony. No other visitors, no sound but wind through the cedars. It was, quite simply, the essence of Shinto: a sacred meeting of nature and spirit.

Sometimes Japan offers its deepest gifts that take you completely by surprise—unexpected, unsought, and utterly, utterly unforgettable.