![[iukp.webp|sban]] > [!infobox|static wmed] > # > ![[iukpp.webp|cover hsmall]] > > ###### 📍 Location Details > Type | Stat | > ---|---| > Region | Honshu | > Settlement | Iga Ueno | > District | Garden Quarter | > Location Type | Pond | > Access | Public | > > ###### 🧭 Function & Atmosphere > Type | Stat | > ---|---| > Primary Function | Reflection | > Atmosphere | Calm | ## Overview Kagami Pond is a quiet, circular body of water designed for stillness and contemplation. At its center stands a small shrine, raised just above the waterline on a stone base and connected by a narrow stepping path used only for maintenance and offerings. The shrine is modest in size, easily overlooked at a glance, yet clearly intentional in placement. Flowers drift gently across the surface of the pond, mingling with the slow, deliberate movements of koi beneath the water. The effect is calming rather than ornamental, as if the pond was shaped to invite reflection rather than admiration. Visitors tend to linger here longer than they intend to, often without realizing how much time has passed. Caretaker Ren maintains both the pond and the shrine, ensuring the space remains clean, quiet, and undisturbed. ## Key NPCs - **[[Caretaker Ren]]**, caretaker of the pond and the central shrine, responsible for upkeep, offerings, and preserving the calm of the space ## Common Knowledge Everyone in Iga Ueno knows Kagami Pond as a place for quiet reflection. People come here to think, to cool heightened emotions, or to sit in silence when words feel unnecessary. It is also widely known that the shrine at the center of the pond no longer has a clearly remembered dedication. No records remain that name the spirit or purpose it was originally built for. Most locals attribute it, loosely and without certainty, to a kitsune, more out of tradition than knowledge. Offerings are still left regularly, small tokens, flowers, folded notes, or simple food, though few can explain exactly why. The general belief is that it is better to respect the shrine than to ignore it. ## Notable Features - a rounded pond surrounded by pink bushes on all side - A small, weathered shrine standing at the center of the water - Floating flowers that gather naturally along the shrine’s base - Slow moving koi visible beneath the surface, rarely breaking the water - A narrow maintenance path used only by the caretaker When the water is completely still, the shrine’s reflection appears almost perfectly symmetrical. ## Local Customs & Etiquette Visitors are expected not to disturb the water. Throwing objects, splashing, or attempting to approach the shrine directly is considered disrespectful. Offerings are placed only at the pond’s edge, where Ren later transfers them to the shrine. Speaking softly is customary, and many choose not to speak at all. Those who follow these customs are rarely interrupted. Caretaker Ren enforces these expectations quietly and consistently, treating the pond as a place to be protected rather than explained.