すごろくやのボードゲーム『禁足地』の紹介

Looking for a great spot to go on your Japan vacation? Well, don't go to any of THESE places unless you wanna be boiled alive or cursed.

Looking for a great spot to go on your Japan vacation? Well, don't go to any of THESE places unless you wanna be boiled alive or cursed.

<p><img alt="A sub-shrine at the edge of the forbidden forest." height="200" src="https://img.atlasobscura.com/jAHEP1_408mhNsMxfleGmPOmXpkRKf0fJ5p4L7yy0rw/rs:fill:300:200:1/g:ce/c:4871:3247:nowe:522:583/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS91/cGxvYWRzL3BsYWNl/X2ltYWdlcy9jOGNk/YWM0MS0wMDM4LTRk/M2ItOTYzNi01NWM5/ZmU4OTJkZDg4Mjkw/ZjBjNmM2ZjAxNjMz/YWFfRFNDXzE5MzYu/anBlZw.jpg" width="300" /></p> <p>In Japan, <em>kinsokuchi</em> 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.</p> <p>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 400 years. Only the high priests are allowed to enter here once a year for the New Year’s Eve ritual, but even then, they are required to wear blindfolds.</p> <p>Until recently, the only person who got to visit the forest apart from the priests was Emperor Hirohiro in 1983. In 2019, however, the shrine held a special ceremony allowing visitors to enter the forest, in commemoration of the enthronement of the new Emperor. This was, of course, also done under strict restrictions, including a “no photography” rule and a fixed, straw-matted trail to follow.</p> <p>The shrine’s protectiveness over the sacred forest is not only for religious reasons, but also for the purpose of conserving the unique, primary ecosystem that has grown there over the centuries. As so few humans have entered it, it has maintained an ancient environment unharmed by the world outside, despite it being situated near urban areas.</p>

Looking for a great spot to go on your Japan vacation? Well, don't go to any of THESE places unless you wanna be boiled alive or cursed.

Looking for a great spot to go on your Japan vacation? Well, don't go to any of THESE places unless you wanna be boiled alive or cursed.

Looking for a great spot to go on your Japan vacation? Well, don't go to any of THESE places unless you wanna be boiled alive or cursed.

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 400 years. Only the high priests are allowed to enter here once a year for the New Year’s Eve ritual, but even then, they are required to wear blindfolds. Until recently, the only person who got to visit the forest apart from the priests was Emperor Hirohiro in 1983. In 2019, however, the shrine held a special ceremony allowing visitors to enter the forest, in commemoration of the enthronement of the new Emperor. This was, of course, also done under strict restrictions, including a “no photography” rule and a fixed, straw-matted trail to follow. The shrine’s protectiveness over the sacred forest is not only for religious reasons, but also for the purpose of conserving the unique, primary ecosystem that has grown there over the centuries. As so few humans have entered it, it has maintained an ancient environment unharmed by the world outside, despite it being situated near urban areas.