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When 勝道上人 Shodo Shoin, the Buddhist, came to Nikko in 767, he could not cross the Daiya River. He prayed and the god Jinja Daio appeared carrying a red and a blue snake. He tossed these across the river and they twined together to form a bridge. The snakes had wild sedges (yamasuge) growing from their backs, enabling Shodo Shoin to cross without slipping. ( I assume his party built a suspension bridge twisting together wild sedges.)

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