A Japanese Island Where the Wild Things Are

The idea that inanimate objects have kami—a spirit or god—is an unquestioned certainty for most Japanese, and objects such as special trees or rocks are often decorated with a white rope to draw attention to their special kami.

In Kyoto they say the real cold of winter only strikes after Setsubun – the day in early February when, traditionally, people scatter beans out of their front door to ward off evil spirits.