Peace Within

If you’ve been to Japan, you know the city streets are always busy. Everything is orderly and clean, but always moving. I discovered refuge from the hustle & bustle in Japan early in our three-year stay. A week after arriving, we were invited on a short trip to a Shinto shrine right in the middle of the city. We climbed the steps and walked through the torii gate, 鳥居, literally ‘bird abode’, and entered into a sacred space. Look inside and see what I found.

In the middle of the noise, surrounded by office buildings and mountains, are shrines that stop the world and let you off for a while.