Somewhere in the vibrant chaos of Tepito — one of Mexico City’s most notorious neighborhoods — there’s a quiet corner that draws people in like a spiritual magnet. Candles flicker, skulls glimmer in the dim light, and offerings of tequila, cigarettes, and candy pile up around a robed skeletal figure. This is La Santa Muerte, the “Saint of Death,” and she’s unlike anything you’ve seen in a Catholic church.

Deep within the forests of Tochigi Prefecture lies a place where myth and mystery echo through sacred halls. At first glance, Nikkō Tōshō-gū looks like any other stunning Shinto-Buddhist shrine—gilded, intricate, layered with centuries of craftsmanship. But step inside the Yakushi-dō Hall, look up, and clap your hands just once. The dragon will respond.