Yayoi period they were regarded as being formless and invisible, later coming to be depicted anthropomorphically under Buddhist influence. Now, statues of the are known as . are usually associated with a specific place, often a prominent landscape feature such as a waterfall, mountain, large rock, or distinctive tree. Physical objects or places in which the are believed to have a presence are termed ; objects inhabited by the that are placed in the shrine are known as . Objects commonly chosen for this purpose include mirrors, swords, stones, beads, and inscribed tablets. These are concealed from the view of visitors, and may be hidden inside boxes so that even the priests do not know what they look like. are deemed capable of both benevolent and destructive deeds; if warnings about good conduct are ignored, the can mete out punishment, often illness or sudden death, called . Some , referred to as the or , are regarded as malevolent and destructive. Offerings and prayers are given to the to gain their blessings and to dissuade them from destructive actions. Shinto seeks to cultivate and ensure a harmonious relationship between humans and the and thus with the natural world. More localised may be subject to feelings of intimacy and familiarity from members of the local community that are not directed towards more widespread like Amaterasu. The of a particular community is referred to it as their , while that of a particular house is the . are not deemed metaphysically different from humanity, with it being possible for humans to become . Dead humans are sometimes venerated as , being regarded as protector or ancestral figures. One of the most prominent examples is that of the Emperor Ōjin, who on his death was enshrined as the Hachiman, believed to be a protector of Japan and a of war. In Japanese culture, ancestors can be viewed as a form of . In Western Japan, the term is used to describe the enshrined of a village founder. In some cases, living human beings were also viewed as ; these were called or . In the State Shinto system of the Meiji era, the emperor of Japan was declared to be a , while several Shinto sects have also viewed their leaders as living . Although some are venerated only in a single location, others have shrines across many areas. Hachiman for instance has