Yasukuni Shrine
The controversial shrine for Japanese war heroes (or criminals, depending on your perspective) that every Japanese Prime Minister continues to visit almost annually, in deference to the political right wing, despite tremendous opposition from the likes of China and Korea, countries that bore the brunt of Japanese war aggression decades ago. I was myself rather surprised at the number of locals visiting and praying/ offering wishes the day I visited. There's something to be said about perspective on everything.
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more 
