This episode explores the curious label "Terra de Iesso" that appeared on 16th‑ and 17th‑century maps — likely a European rendering of Japan’s Ezo (Hokkaidō) that read to Latin eyes as Iesu (Jesus) or Iesse (Jesse). It tracks how cartographers mixed language, faith, and hearsay to turn a geographic name into a sacred symbol.

We examine the Strait of Anian and Mercator’s frozen North, where maps blended navigation, prophecy, and myth: hidden refuges, imprisoned Watchers and giants, and a northern “Camp of the Saints” shielded by ice. The episode shows how mapmakers mapped not only coastlines but spiritual hope and apocalyptic imagination.

Finally, the story traces the name’s disappearance as exploration clarified geography and reflects on Terra de Iesso as a lasting emblem of how people read the world through faith, fear, and the longing for a hidden kingdom. It’s a look at the border between cartography and prophecy.