Pondering purpose from a temple's restless night, a father and son set off for a remote Japanese village, their destination shrouded in skepticism. Little did they know, this journey into the mountains would peel back layers of history, exposing far more than picturesque farmhouses.

- Doubts about a destination dissolved at an observation deck, revealing an architectural marvel born from brutal winters.

- An innocent discovery in an irrigation ditch spoke volumes about hidden foreign currents beneath preserved traditions.

- A sudden encounter with a pyramid in a tranquil valley unveiled a deeper, more unsettling investigation into the spiritual and political landscape of Japan.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

- The ingenious design of Shirakawa-go's gasshō-zukuri farmhouses.

- How attics in traditional homes once fueled a bustling sericulture industry.

- The surprising dual-purpose of certain farmhouses, secretly producing gunpowder components.

- The unexpected presence of introduced rainbow trout in local Japanese waterways, alongside native fish.

- The imposing, pyramid-like structure of the Hikaru Museum.

- The origins and influence of "new religious movements" like Sukyo Mahikari in Japan.

- The art of Hokusai’s "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" as a source of creative awakening.

What hidden histories lie beneath the surface of the most seemingly tranquil places?

If you enjoyed this journey, the complete travelogue is available right now as a Kindle book on Amazon.

And if you want to come behind the scenes, get bonus content, and see my photos from the trip, you can join my community on Patreon.

Links to everything are in the show notes.