http://tokyobling.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/the-house-of-ogai-mori-and-soseki-natsume/
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http://mochida.cc/archives/tag/%E6%9D%91%E6%AD%A3
Shimenawa (標縄・注連縄・七五三縄, literally “enclosing rope”) are lengths of braided rice straw rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion.
A space bound by shimenawa often indicates a sacred or pure space, such as that of a Shinto shrine. Shimenawa are believed to act as a ward against evil spirits and are often set up at a ground-breaking ceremony before construction begins on a new building.
They are also used to mark trees that are believed to be inhabited by spirits called Kodama. Cutting down these trees is thought to bring misfortune.
Traveling with Yoshitomo Nara
