Kami

Kami are spirits in Japan.

Many people believe kami are everywhere. They can be in the wind or the sea. They can also be the spirits of dead people.

Some kami are very kind. They can help people grow food. Other kami can be strong or scary.

People try to be good to them. They wash their hands to stay clean. They also show love to nature.

This helps them stay in harmony with the world. It is a way to show respect to the spirits.

In Japan, many people follow a faith called Shinto. At the heart of Shinto are the kami. Kami are spirits or divine beings. They are not just in the sky. They are part of nature itself.

Kami can be many things. Some are forces like the wind or thunder. Others are objects like mountains, trees, or rocks. Some people believe that the spirits of ancestors are also kami. Even great leaders could become kami after they died.

Kami have different sides. Some are gentle and kind. Others can be strong or even scary. Because of this, people try to show them respect. They do this to stay on their good side. One way to show respect is to stay clean. People wash their hands and mouths often. They also love and care for nature.

There are so many kami that people say there are "eight million." This means there are uncountably many. They can be found in many places. Some kami watch over roads or even entryways. Others help with the growth of rice. Following these traditions helps people live in harmony with the world.

In Japan, the Shinto faith centers on spirits called kami. Many people think of them as gods or divine beings. However, scholars say this word is very complex. Kami can be part of the landscape or forces of nature. They can also be the spirits of people who have died. Some believe kami are manifestations of the energy of the universe. They are not separate from nature but are part of it.

Kami have many different roles and personalities. They can be gentle and nurturing when they are respected. They can also be destructive if they are ignored. Some traditions say kami have two souls. One soul is gentle, while the other is assertive. Other traditions mention a happy soul and a mysterious soul. Because they have these different sides, people must appease them. This helps people gain favor and avoid their wrath.

History shows that the role of kami has changed over time. Early Japanese people were hunter-gatherers who worshipped mountain and sea spirits. When rice farming became important, kami roles shifted toward crops. People prayed for rain, earth, and rice to help their harvests. Myths tell of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Her grandson was sent to earth to rule with five grains of heavenly rice. This helped transform the wilderness into something useful.

There are many ways to group these spirits. The Kojiki, written in 712 CE, contains early creation myths. Another book, the Nihon Shoki, was written in 720 CE. The Engishiki, from 927 CE, listed 3,131 official kami and 2,861 shrines. Today, the number of kami is much larger. For example, Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine has over 2,446,000 individual kami enshrined. People often say there are "eight million" kami. This phrase actually means there are uncountably many spirits everywhere.

Living with kami involves following certain ways of life. Shinto followers practice purification to see the sacred world. They follow four main affirmations to stay in harmony. First, they hold fast to family traditions. Second, they show a deep love for nature. Third, they maintain physical cleanliness by washing hands and mouths. Finally, they practice matsuri, which is the worship of kami. These traditions help people connect with the spirits around them.

In the Shinto tradition of Japan, the concept of kami is central to understanding the world. While many people translate kami as "deity" or "god," scholars suggest this term is much more complex. Kami are not separate from the natural world; rather, they are part of it. They can be elements of the landscape, such as mountains or rivers, or forces of nature like wind and thunder. Kami can also be the spirits of deceased people, including great leaders or ancestors of entire clans. Some thinkers believe kami are manifestations of the interconnecting energy of the universe. They represent what humanity should strive toward in life.

To understand how kami function, one must look at their dual nature. Traditionally, kami are described as having two distinct minds or souls. There is a gentle soul, called nigi-mitama, which is nurturing and loving when the kami is respected. There is also an assertive soul, called ara-mitama, which can cause destruction and disharmony if the kami is disregarded. Some traditions, such as Yamakage Shinto, even describe two additional hidden souls: a happy soul called saki-mitama and a mysterious soul called kushi-mitama. Because of these shifting qualities, followers believe it is necessary to appease kami to gain their favor and avoid their wrath.

Kami are not visible to humans in the physical realm. Instead, they inhabit a complementary existence that mirrors our own. They may reside in sacred places, natural phenomena, or even in people during specific rituals. While they are mobile and visit various places of worship, they never stay in one location forever. This mobility means that the relationship between humans and kami is constant and active. Because kami are often "hidden," being in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is a way to become conscious of their presence.

History shows that the roles of kami have shifted alongside Japanese society. In ancient times, hunter-gatherer groups worshipped earth-based spirits of the mountains and the sea. As rice cultivation became the dominant way of life, the identity of kami shifted toward sustaining roles. They became associated with rain, earth, and the growth of crops. This connection was celebrated through rituals meant to protect the harvest. One famous myth tells of the sun goddess Amaterasu. She sent her grandson to earth to rule, giving him five grains of rice grown in the fields of heaven, Takamagahara. This rice helped transform the wilderness.

There are many ways to classify these spirits. The Kojiki, written in 712 CE, and the Nihon Shoki, written in 720 CE, provide the earliest records of these myths. The Engishiki, a collection of rites from 927 CE, listed 3,131 official kami and 2,861 shrines. Today, the number of kami is considered uncountably large. People often use the phrase "yaoyorozu no kami," which literally means "eight million kami." This number is an idiom representing ubiquity, meaning they are everywhere. For example, Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine alone enshrines over 2,446,000 individual kami.

Kami can also represent specific social or political concepts. The goryō-shin are sacred spirits of people whose lives were cut short. These are often seen as vengeful spirits that must be calmed through devotion. Other kami have evolved to address specific human needs. The kami of smallpox eventually came to include all contagious diseases. The kami of boils and growths grew to preside over cancers and their treatments. Even individuals who showed outstanding virtue, like Sugawara no Michizane, can be celebrated as kami, such as the deity Tenjin.

To live in harmony with the divine, Shinto followers practice purification, known as harai. This is necessary because humans cannot perceive the sacredness of the world without it. Followers uphold four main affirmations to maintain this connection. First, they hold fast to tradition and their family line. Second, they maintain a love of nature, as nature is where kami reside. Third, they practice physical cleanliness by washing hands and mouths. Finally, they practice matsuri, which is the worship and honoring of kami and ancestral spirits.