ABSTRACT

One by one the steps ascend the mountainside, climbing to the heights above at an angle almost per~ pendicular. A torii arches over the ascent, and higher still a cut bamboo reaches from branch to branch of sentinel trees across the path of stone, a cut bamboo from which depends a thick rope of rice straw like to that which binds the rock of heaven so that never~ more may the Heavenly Shining Deity hide her face from the world of men.