Hakui

Forbidden Forest at Keta Taisha Shrine in Hakui, Japan

In Japan, kinsokuchi or “tabooed land” is a sacred place, typically part of a large Shinto shrine complex, that is strictly off-limits to visits. One such sanctuary can be found at Keta Taisha, a 2,000-year-old shrine in Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture. The Irazu-no-mori, which literally means “forbidden forest,” spreads for 3.3 hectares at the back of Keta Taisha, and has been off-limits for over 4…