Nozawa Onsen, Japan, 2011 - Off to the side of the Uenotaira Four chairlift, a small cluster of trees stand like huddled wanderers. It is as if the trees were once mobile, but are now frozen still from the cold, immortalized in their icy coating. In Japan, Dosojin are tutelary deities of borders and paths. They are believed to protect travellers, pilgrims, villages, and individuals in "transitional stages" from epidemics and evil spirits. This seems fitting, as trees often provide shelter to travellers and pilgrims on their journeys across vast distances. They also provide oxygen, a necessity for human life, adding to their protective nature.