Old Bridge over the Shirakumo Waterfall in the Nikko National Park (Japan) painted by Takahashi Shotei

A clear waterfall,

into the ripples

fall green pine-needles

Overhanging pine…

adding its mite of needles

to the waterfall

Haikus by 

Matsuo Basho

Shinkyo Sacred Bridge over the river Daiya in the Futurasan Shrine, Nikko (Japan)

A priest named Shōdō and his followers climbed Mt. Nantai in the year 766 to pray for national prosperity. However, they could not cross the fast flowing Daiya River. Shōdō prayed and a 10 foot tall god named Jinja-Daiou appeared with two snakes twisted around his right arm. Jinja-Daiou released the blue and red snakes and they transformed themselves into a rainbow-like bridge covered with sedge, which Shōdō and his followers could use to cross the river. That is why this bridge is sometimes called Yamasugeno-jabashi, which means the "Snake Bridge of Sedge"

Legend of Shinkyo Bridge