Experiencing the mountains of Japan was one of the highlights of our trip which was filled with many highlights. The mountains' sheer size and tendency to go straight up from their base gave us a sense of the awesomeness of nature and the dominance of a power beyond ours. It's easy to see how these mountains traditionally became deified in Japan's religions. Being in the large churches in Europe gave us a similar sense - humans are small in scope compared to the grandeur of a greater spiritual force.
Seventy percent of Japan is mountainous or forestial. Mountains have been deified in Japan since the beginning of the written word in Japan - perhaps because of their unknown and unexplored qualities (most people have lived in the plains) and their awesome height. Some mountains have been the site of religious rituals and shrines. Traditionally certain mountains are believed to be the home of specific gods and spirits (the Shinto "kami") and the resting place of the spirits of ancestors.
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