Set in the dense forests of the Kii Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean, three sacred sites - Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan, Koyasan - linked by pilgrimage routes to the ancient capital cities of Nara and Kyoto, reflect the fusion of Shinto, rooted in the ancient tradition of nature worship in Japan, and Buddhism, which was introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula.

UNESCO: Culture

That set off a frenetic search through an area marked by dense brush and steep terrain.

CNN: See daring rescue of hiker

It's been translated into ten languages and seems set to become a best seller even though the rather dense philosophical arguments do not make it an easy read.

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