distant

There is word "Tokoyo" in Japanese Shinto.
If this word translated to english become "distant". 　
　
Tokoyo was considered a country of immortality that is over distant the sea by ancient Japanese people.

Immortality was also included meaning "once died person".
Because if die once, not die again.
In other words country of immortality was also country of dead for ancient Japanese people.

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Well，in japan there is a legend of Urashima.
Urashima of fishermen go into the sea distant who is taken to the turtle that helped.
And he arrive to Hourai mountain of Tokoyo.　
（in this case,Hourai mountain read to Ryugu）

Of course there was the influence of Taoism of China there.



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If people die their soul climb a mountain.
And become one of tutelary god of their families.

Ancient Japanese people had believed that also.


After Buddhism introduction.

Their soul had passed through hell valley and Futile effort of Buddhism in the mountain.
Then their soul climb to joudo of the summit of the mountain.
And become one of tutelary god of their families.

Japanese people had believed so.

(Just maybe mountain was bridge to climb to heaven for japanese people.)