The shrine

"The Shrine" by Walter J. Sheldon is a story set in mid-20th century Japan about Edward Blair, a reporter who is sent to the remote Hataka shrine to interview its monks. As Blair spends time with Naito, the high priest, and Yuki, a puzzling young woman, he slowly finds himself questioning his own beliefs as the high priest's teachings on the limits of science and the power of the mind challenge his Western views and his encounter with Yuki creates a powerful connection that pushes him to shed his cynicism and consider the control and mystery of the world. Through cultural differences and mind-bending revelations, the clash between science and ancient knowledge takes center stage in this exploration of the human spirit.