Amaterasu: the Sun Goddess

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)

Tree kami surrounded by sacred boundaries

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

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.

Torii: a gate marking the division between profane and sacred space at Shinto shrines

The sando is a pathway leading from outside the shrine compound to the front of a structure for worshippers….A sando is usually lined with an avenue of trees or otherwise marked in order to be distinguished from regular pathways. Frequently the sando crosses a pond or stream with a sacred bridge called a shinkyo. This crossing symbolizes the purification of mind. In some cases, the shrine pathway is marked with stone stairways and lined with stone lanterns.(http://ias.berkeley.edu/orias/visuals/japan_visuals/shintoB.HTM)

Since one of the most important functions of Shinto rituals is that of purification, clean water is always

provided for washing the hands and rinsing the mouth before approaching the shrine.

Prayers are normally offered at the outer temple inthe“worship hall” (haiden), which faces

the sanctuary (honden) of the inner temple.

Izumo (Japan's second most important shrine): The sacred ropes hanging over the front entry are twisted together from rice straw. Called shimenawa, they are used to mark a sacred precinct. They are traditionally believed to ward off evil and sickness. [http://ias.berkeley.edu/orias/visuals/japan_visuals/shintoB.HTM]

Families traditionally bring their one-month old baby to the local shrine to be presented to the tutelary (protecting) kami of the region.

Wooden plaque at the Tomakomai Shinto shrine. Worshipers may purchase a prayer board or amulet for protection or assistance. These boards are most popular with

students requesting help in school or with exams. [http://ias.berkeley.edu/orias/visuals/japan_visuals/shintoB.HTM]