Spirituality

Kyushu and Shikoku offer charismatic cities, a wealth of spiritual intrigue, and some of Japan’s most heartbreakingly beautiful nature.

With epic landscapes and lore that is ancient, complex, and tragic, Armenia offers a visceral historic bonanza that takes in some of Christianity’s most sacred symbols.

Sharp-fanged and sword-wielding, Fudo Myoo inspires Japan’s feared Yakuza. Yet the deity is also worshipped by Buddhists worldwide.

Remote and subject to harsh Himalayan weather conditions, Spiti Valley was the desolate main link between Tibet and India for centuries. Its seclusion has helped preserve the authenticity of one of the world’s most threatened cultures

Before sunrise, devotees go to the slopes of Mount Bromo to pray and throw their sacrifices on the festival of Yadnya Kasada.

Hiroshima’s 1,200-year-old Mitaki-dera temple is tranquil but it’s also, a pilgrimage site for the victims of the nuclear age.

For more than 1,000 years, Kumaris have been a central part of Hindu and Buddhist culture in Nepal, particularly in Kathmandu.

Those who visit the White Temple of Chiang Rai are struck by its beauty and then its irreverence – from Hello Kitty on the inside to Pinhead from Hellraiser on the lawn.

Jay Tindall travels to the fascinating and somewhat gruesome spectacle of a Torajaland funeral, one of the most interesting cultural events in Southeast Asia.

Going to Hong Kong? Well, there are few Taoist deities you should get to know before you start in on the temples.

Bali has no shortage of temples, and this journey takes travelers from north to south – with water rituals and fire dances – combining some of the very best in Balinese spirituality.

Even in the most popular temples of Japan’s most beautiful city, there are dark corners where patrons can curse their enemies in Kyoto.