There it stands—massive, stoic, and shrouded in mystery. On the rolling Salisbury Plain in southern England, Stonehenge rises like an ancient riddle etched into stone. It’s one of the most iconic monuments in the world, yet no one can fully explain why it was built, who exactly built it, or how those massive stones got there.

Tucked within the quiet town of Minamiaso in Kumamoto Prefecture lies a sacred pool of impossibly clear water: Shirakawa Suigen. This isn’t just a pretty pond. It’s the literal birthplace of the Shirakawa River, one of the major water sources for the entire region. What makes it truly special isn’t just the water’s purity—but the sense that you’ve stumbled upon something quietly magical.