Rising from the flatlands of western Japan, Hiroshima Castle was a powerful nerve centre built by Mōri Terumoto during an age of shifting allegiances and ruthless ambition. With its broad moat and imposing stone walls, the castle was less about isolation and more about control, a symbol of calculated authority in a time of near constant war.

Although not formally declared a public park until 1880, the sacred origins of Nara Park stretch back to 708AD, when Japan’s capital was transferred to the Heijo Palace area, now the city of Nara. As the heart of early Japanese civilisation, Nara became a place where political ambition, religious reverence and spiritual mystery intertwined.

Famous for its thousands of vivid orange torii gates, Fushimi Inari is an ancient Shinto head shrine and a designated World Heritage site, located in the southeastern part of Kyoto. Dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, prosperity and foxes, the shrine dates back to the 8th century and remains one of Japan’s most iconic spiritual landmarks

Established in 1236 by an imperial chancellor with ambitions to rival Nara’s grand temples, Tōfuku-ji rose as a monumental testament to Kyoto’s spiritual and architectural aspirations. At its helm was Enni Ben’en (1202–1280), a revered monk fresh from China, where he had immersed himself in Rinzai Zen teachings. Under his guidance, Tōfuku-ji became one of Kyoto’s Five Great Zen Temples, an enduring symbol of Zen’s deep roots in Japan.

Nestled at the base of the sacred Mount Misen on Miyajima Island, Daishoin Temple is a hidden gem that offers a tranquil yet spiritually profound experience for visitors exploring Japan’s rich cultural and religious tapestry. Founded in 806 AD by the revered Buddhist monk Kōbō Daishi, Daishoin is one of the oldest and most prestigious temples of the Shingon sect of Japanese esoteric Buddhism.

In the year 774, in the small town of Zentsūji on the island of Shikoku, Japan, a child named Kūkai was born. This child would grow up to become one of the most influential and revered figures in Japanese religious history. Known posthumously as Kōbō-Daishi, Kūkai would not only found the Shingon school of esoteric Buddhism but would also leave a profound legacy that shaped both religious practices and Japanese culture for centuries to come.

The spacious Ueno Park was established on the grounds of Kan'ei-jiin Temple after the Battle of Ueno, in 1873. Amongst Japan’s first public parks, Ueno now showcases a number of museums and several historically significant monuments which weren’t otherwise destroyed during times of war. In 1924, Ueno Park was presented to the city by Emperor Taishō, receiving the official name that lasts to this day (Ueno Onshi Kōen), the Ueno Imperial Gift Park.

Tucked away in the misty northwestern hills of Kyoto, the secluded temple of Adashino Nenbutsuji rests in quiet solemnity. Surrounded by bamboo groves and age-old trees, it is both picturesque and profoundly haunting. In antiquity, this hillside was a final destination for the forgotten dead, those who passed with no family, no mourners and no names.