1. The "Wedded Rocks" at Futami no Ura are linked by a hemp rope that symbolizes the union of Izanagi and Izanami, the primal pair in Shinto mythology who created the Japanese islands. Note the torii gate at top of rock on the right. (Source: Harry Cook, Samurai: The Story of a Warrior Tradition, 1993)

2. Tree kami surrounded by sacred boundaries

3. The perfectly conical shape of Mt. Fuji has made it one of the most venerated “nature” kami throughout Japanese history

4. Nachi waterfall is a sacred space for Shinto.The falls were originally devoted to kami veneration. Today they are also associated with the Buddhist bodhisattva of mercy, Kannon. The rope over the top of the falls is a shimenawa, marking the site as sacred.