In Japanese mythology, there is an episode concerning the birth of the God of Fire. The story begins with the descent from the sacred heavenly world of the divine couple Izanagi and Izanami. As a result of their love-making, Izanami gave birth to the many islands that now comprise the Japanese archipelago, as well as rocks, winds, mountains, rivers, grasses, trees and all other natural objects. All of this land, and indeed all of nature, including all human beings, are considered by the Kojiki to be the offspring of the divine couple, and hence we are all siblings. In other words, there was an anthropomorphic belief that, coming as we do from the same womb, we all share the same physical essence as the rocks and rivers, winds and water.