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{{short description|Divine being in Shinto}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
[[File:Amaterasu cave crop.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Amaterasu]], one of the central ''kami'' in the Shinto faith]]
{{Shinto}}
{{Nihongo||[[:wikt:神|神]]|'''Kami'''|extra={{IPA|ja|kaꜜmi|}}|lead=yes}} are the [[Deity|deities]], [[Divinity|divinities]], [[Spirit (supernatural entity)|spirits]], mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional [[Shinto]] religion of [[Japan]]. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, beings and the qualities that these beings express, and/or the spirits of venerated dead people. Many ''kami'' are considered the ancient ancestors of entire [[Japanese clans|clans]] (some ancestors became ''kami'' upon their death if they were able to embody the values and [[virtue]]s of ''kami'' in life). Traditionally, great leaders like the [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] could be or became ''kami''.<ref name="Tamura">{{cite book |last1=Tamura |first1=Yoshiro |title=Japanese Buddhism: A Cultural History |date=2000 |publisher=Asher Publishing |isbn=4-333-01684-3 |edition=1st |location=Tokyo |page=234}}</ref>

In Shinto, ''kami'' are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and [[good and evil]] characteristics. They are manifestations of {{nihongo|[[wiktionary:結び|''musubi'']]|結び}},<ref name="Boyd">{{cite journal|last1=Boyd|first1=James W.|last2=Williams|first2=Ron G.|title=Japanese Shintō: An Interpretation of a Priestly Perspective|journal=Philosophy East and West|date=1 January 2005|volume=55|issue=1|pages=33–63|jstor=4487935|doi=10.1353/pew.2004.0039|s2cid=144550475}}</ref> the interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards. ''Kami'' are believed to be "hidden" from this world, and inhabit a complementary existence that mirrors our own: {{nihongo|3=shinkai|4="the world of the kami"|2=神界}}.<ref name="Yamakage">{{cite book|last1=Yamakage|first1=Motohisa|last2=Gillespie|first2=Mineko S.|last3=Gillespie|first3=Gerald L.|last4=Komuro|first4=Yoshitsugu|last5=Leeuw|first5=Paul de|last6=Rankin|first6=Aidan|title=The Essence of Shinto: Japan's Spiritual Heart|date=2007|publisher=Kodansha International|location=Tokyo|isbn=978-4-7700-3044-3|edition=1st|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/essenceofshintoj0000yama}}</ref>{{rp|22}} To be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of {{nihongo|3=kannagara no michi|4="the way of the kami"|2=随神の道 or 惟神の道}}.<ref name="Boyd" />

== Meaning ==
''Kami'' is the [[Japanese language|Japanese]] word for a deity, divinity, or spirit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jisho.org/kanji/details/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703032246/http://jisho.org/kanji/details/ |archive-date=2013-07-03 |title=Kanji details – Denshi Jisho |date=2013-07-03 |access-date=2017-05-02}}</ref> It has been used to describe [[mind]], God, Supreme Being, one of the Shinto deities, an [[effigy]], a [[principle]], and anything that is worshipped.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|author=[[Weblio]] |title=神 |encyclopedia=Weblio英和辞典・和英辞典 |url=https://ejje.weblio.jp/english-thesaurus/content/%E7%A5%9E |year=2013 |publisher=GRAS Group, Inc.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Holtom|first1=D. C.|authorlink=D. C. Holtom|title=The Meaning of Kami. Chapter I. Japanese Derivations|journal=Monumenta Nipponica|date=January 1940|volume=3|issue=1|pages=1–27|doi=10.2307/2382402|jstor=2382402}}{{Verify source|date=June 2022}}</ref>

Although ''deity'' is the common interpretation of ''kami'', some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ono|first1=Sokyo|last2=Woodard|first2=William P.|authorlink2=William Woodard|title=Shinto, the Kami Way|date=2004|publisher=C.E. Tuttle|location=Boston, Massachusetts|isbn=978-0-8048-3557-2|edition=1st|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x-w59vegZoIC&q=shinto+the+kami+way|language=en}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=January 2017}}

Some etymological suggestions are:
* ''Kami'' may, at its root, simply mean ''spirit'', or an aspect of spirituality. It is written with the kanji {{lang|ja|神}}, Sino-Japanese reading ''shin'' or ''jin''. In Chinese, the character means ''deity'' or ''spirit''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tw.dictionary.yahoo.com/dictionary?p=%E7%A5%9E |title=神 - Yahoo奇摩字典 搜尋結果 |publisher=Yahoo Dictionary |date=2013-01-01 |access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>
* In the [[Ainu language]], the word ''[[kamuy]]'' refers to an [[animism|animistic]] concept very similar to Japanese ''kami''. The matter of the words' origins is still a subject of debate; [[John Batchelor (missionary)|John Batchelor]] derives the word from Ainu roots,<ref>{{cite web | title=An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (Including a grammar of the Ainu language) | date=1905 | publisher=Tokyo Methodist Pub. House | url=https://archive.org/details/ainuenglishjapan00batcuoft/page/20/mode/2up?q=kamui&view=theater }}</ref> but Japanese sources indicate a Japonic origin.<ref>https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%A5%9E-46603, in Japanese</ref>

In terms of meaning, in his {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Kojiki]]-den}}, [[Motoori Norinaga]] gave a definition of ''kami'' as: "any being whatsoever which possesses some eminent quality out of the ordinary, and is awe-inspiring, is called kami."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gall|first1=Robert S.|title=Kami and Daimon: A Cross-Cultural Reflection on What Is Divine|url=https://www.academia.edu/3556502|journal=Philosophy East and West|date=January 1999|volume=49|issue=1|pages=63–74|doi=10.2307/1400117|jstor=1400117}}</ref>

Because Japanese does not normally distinguish [[grammatical number]] in [[noun]]s (most do not have singular and plural forms), it is sometimes unclear whether ''kami'' refers to a single or multiple entities. When a singular concept is needed, {{nihongo|''-kami''|神}} is used as a [[Suffix (name)|suffix]]. The [[Reduplication|reduplicated]] term generally used to refer to multiple ''kami'' is ''kamigami''.<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|210–211}}

== History ==
{{see also|Mitama}}
While Shinto has no founder, no overarching doctrine, and no religious texts, the {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Kojiki]]}} (Records of Ancient Matters), written in 712 CE, and the {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Nihon Shoki]]}} (Chronicles of Japan), written in 720 CE, contain the earliest record of Japanese creation myths. The {{Lang|ja-latn|Kojiki}} also includes descriptions of various ''kami''.<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|39}}

In the ancient traditions there were five defining characteristics of ''kami'':<ref name="Jones">{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Lindsay|title=Encyclopedia of Religion|date=2005|publisher=Macmillan [u.a.]|location=New York|isbn=978-0-02-865734-9|pages=5071–5074|edition=2nd}}</ref>
# ''Kami'' are of two minds. They can nurture and love when respected, or they can cause destruction and disharmony when disregarded. ''Kami'' must be appeased in order to gain their favor and avoid their wrath. Traditionally, ''kami'' possess two [[soul]]s, one gentle (''[[Mitama|nigi-mitama]]'') and the other assertive (''[[mitama|ara-mitama]]''); additionally, in ''Yamakage Shinto'' (see ''[[Ko-Shintō]]''), ''kami'' have two additional souls that are hidden: one happy (''saki-mitama'') and one mysterious (''kushi-mitama'').<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|130}}
# ''Kami'' are not visible to the human realm. Instead, they inhabit sacred places, natural phenomena, or people during rituals that ask for their blessing.
# They are mobile, visiting their places of worship, of which there can be several, but never staying forever.
# There are many different varieties of ''kami''. There are 300 different classifications of ''kami'' listed in the {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Kojiki]]}}, and they all have different functions, such as the ''kami'' of wind, ''kami'' of entryways, and ''kami'' of roads.
# Lastly, all ''kami'' have a different guardianship or duty to the people around them. Just as the people have an obligation to keep the ''kami'' happy, the ''kami'' have to perform the specific function of the object, place, or idea they inhabit.
''Kami'' are an ever-changing concept, but their presence in Japanese life has remained constant. The ''kami's'' earliest roles were as earth-based spirits, assisting the early [[hunter-gatherer]] groups in their daily lives. They were worshipped as gods of the earth (mountains) and sea. As the cultivation of [[rice]] became increasingly important and predominant in Japan, the ''kami's'' identity shifted to more sustaining roles that were directly involved in the growth of crops; roles such as rain, earth, and rice.<ref name="Jones" /> This relationship between early Japanese people and the ''kami'' was manifested in rituals and ceremonies meant to entreat the ''kami'' to grow and protect the harvest. These rituals also became a symbol of power and strength for the early Emperors.<ref name="Ohnuki-Tierney">{{cite journal|last1=Ohnuki-Tierney|first1=Emiko|title=The Emperor of Japan as Deity (Kami)|journal=Ethnology|date=July 1991|volume=30|issue=3|pages=199–215|doi=10.2307/3773631|jstor=3773631|s2cid=102344236|doi-access=free}}</ref>

There is a strong tradition of myth-histories in the Shinto faith; one such myth details the appearance of the first emperor, grandson of the Sun Goddess [[Amaterasu]]. In this myth, when Amaterasu sent her grandson to earth to rule, she gave him five rice grains, which had been grown in the fields of heaven ([[Takamagahara]]). This rice made it possible for him to transform the "wilderness".<ref name="Ohnuki-Tierney" />

Social and political strife have played a key role in the development of new sorts of ''kami'', specifically the ''goryō-shin'' (the sacred spirit ''kami''). ''[[Goryō]]'' are the vengeful spirits of the dead whose lives were cut short, but they were calmed by the devotion of Shinto followers and are now believed to punish those who do not honor the ''kami''.<ref name="Ohnuki-Tierney" />

The pantheon of ''kami'', like the ''kami'' themselves, is forever changing in definition and scope. As the needs of the people have shifted, so too have the domains and roles of the various ''kami''. Some examples of this are related to health, such as the ''kami'' of [[smallpox]] whose role was expanded to include all contagious diseases, or the ''kami'' of boils and growths who has also come to preside over [[cancer]]s and [[cancer treatments]].<ref name="Ohnuki-Tierney" />

In ancient [[Animism|animistic]] Japanese belief, ''kami'' were understood as simply the divine forces of nature. Worshippers in [[Ancient history|ancient]] Japan revered ''kami'' of nature which exhibited a particular beauty and power such as [[ghost]]s,<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Pearson |first1=Patricia O'Connell |title=World History: Our Human Story |last2=Holdren |first2=John |date=May 2021 |publisher=Sheridan Kentucky |isbn=978-1-60153-123-0 |location=Versailles, Kentucky |page=294}}</ref> the ocean,<ref name=":2" /> the sun,<ref name=":2" /> [[waterfalls]], mountains,<ref name=":2" /> boulders, animals,<ref name=":2" /> trees,<ref name=":2" /> grasses, [[rice]] paddies, [[thunder]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Carlson |first1=Kathie |title=The Book of Symbols: Reflections on Archetypal Images |last2=Flanagin |first2=Michael N. |last3=Martin |first3=Kathleen |last4=Martin |first4=Mary E. |last5=Mendelsohn |first5=John |last6=Rodgers |first6=Priscilla Young |last7=Ronnberg |first7=Ami |last8=Salman |first8=Sherry |last9=Wesley |first9=Deborah A. |publisher=[[Taschen]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-3-8365-1448-4 |editor-last=Arm |editor-first=Karen |location=Köln |page=280 |editor-last2=Ueda |editor-first2=Kako |editor-last3=Thulin |editor-first3=Anne |editor-last4=Langerak |editor-first4=Allison |editor-last5=Kiley |editor-first5=Timothy Gus |editor-last6=Wolff |editor-first6=Mary}}</ref> [[echo]]es,<ref name=":1" /> [[fox]]es and [[fox spirit]]s,<ref name=":1" /> and [[Chinese dragon|Asian dragons]].<ref name=":1" /> They strongly believed the spirits or resident ''kami'' deserved respect.

In 927 CE, the {{Nihongo||延喜式|''[[Engi-shiki]]''|extra=literally, Procedures of the [[Engi (era)|Engi Era]]}} was promulgated in fifty volumes. This, the first formal codification of Shinto rites and ''[[norito]]'' (liturgies and prayers) to survive, became the basis for all subsequent Shinto liturgical practice and efforts. It listed all of the 2,861 [[Shinto shrine]]s existing at the time, and the 3,131 official-recognized and enshrined ''kami''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Picken|first1=Stuart D.B.|title=Historical Dictionary of Shinto|date=2011|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group|location=Lanham|isbn=978-0-8108-7372-8|page=92|edition=2nd}}</ref> The number of ''kami'' has grown and far exceeded this figure through the following generations as there are over 2,446,000 individual ''kami'' enshrined in Tokyo's [[Yasukuni Shrine]] alone.<ref>{{cite web|title=Deities|url=http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/about/deities.html|website=Yasukuni Shrine|access-date=2016-06-29|language=en}}</ref>

== Shinto belief ==

''Kami'' are the central objects of worship in Shinto. The best English translation of ''kami'' is 'spirits', but this is an over-simplification of a complex concept—''kami'' can be elements of the landscape or forces of nature.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Religions - Shinto: Kami |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/shinto/beliefs/kami_1.shtml |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> ''Kami'' are believed to have influence over the forces of nature and over the affairs of humans. The ancient [[animistic]] spirituality of Japan was the beginning of modern Shinto, which became a formal spiritual institution later, in an effort to preserve the traditional beliefs from the encroachment of imported religious ideas. As a result, the nature of what can be called ''kami'' is very general and encompasses many different concepts and phenomena.

Some of the objects or phenomena designated as ''kami'' are qualities of growth, fertility, and production; natural phenomena like [[wind]] and [[thunder]]; natural objects like the [[sun]], [[mountain]]s, [[river]]s, [[tree]]s, and [[Rock (geology)|rocks]]; some [[animal]]s; and [[Sorei|ancestral spirits]]. Included within the designation of ancestral spirits are spirits of the ancestors of the [[Imperial House of Japan]], but also ancestors of noble families, as well as the spirits of the ancestors of all people, which, when they died, were believed to be the guardians of their descendants.<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|150}}

There are other spirits designated as ''kami'' as well. For example, the guardian spirits of the land, occupations, and skills; spirits of Japanese heroes; those of outstanding deeds or virtues; those who have contributed to civilization, culture, and human welfare; those who have died for the state or the community; and the pitiable deceased.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Ono|first1=Motonori|title=Shinto: the Kami Way|last2=Woodard|first2=William P.|publisher=Rutland, Vt: C.E. Tuttle Co.|year=1962|oclc=37941640|location=Tokyo|page=23}}</ref> Not only spirits superior to humans can be considered ''kami'': spirits that are considered pitiable or weak have also been considered ''kami'' in Shinto.

The concept of ''kami'' has been changed and refined since ancient times, although anything considered to be ''kami'' by ancient people will still be considered ''kami'' in modern Shinto. Even within modern Shinto, no clearly defined criteria exist for what should or should not be worshipped as ''kami''. The difference between modern Shinto and the ancient animistic religions is mainly a refinement of the ''concept, rather than a difference in definitions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Perspectives toward Understanding the Concept of Kami |url=https://www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/cpjr/kami/intro.html |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp}}</ref>

Although the ancient designations are still adhered to, in modern Shinto, many priests also consider ''kami'' to be [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] spirits with nobility and authority. One such example is the mythological figure [[Amaterasu]]-''ōmikami'', the sun goddess of the Shinto pantheon. Although ''kami'' can be considered deities, they are not necessarily considered [[omnipotent]] or [[omniscient]]; like the ancient [[List of Greek deities|Greek gods]], ''kami'' have flawed personalities and are incapable of ignoble acts. In the myths of Amaterasu, for example, she could see the events of the human world, but had to use divination rituals to see the future.{{citation needed|date=October 2025}}

There are considered to be three main variations of ''kami'': {{Nihongo||天津神|[[Amatsukami]]|extra=the heavenly deities}}, {{Nihongo||国津神|[[Kunitsukami]]|extra=the gods of the earthly realm}}, and {{Nihongo||八百万の神|ya-o-yorozu no kami|extra=countless kami}}. "{{Nihongo2|八百万}}" literally means eight million, but idiomatically it expresses "uncountably many" and "all-around"—like many East Asian cultures, the Japanese often use the number 8, representing the cardinal and ordinal directions, to symbolize ubiquity. These classifications of ''kami'' are not considered strictly divided, due to the fluid and shifting nature of ''kami'', but are instead held as guidelines for grouping them.<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|56}}

The ancestors of one's family can also be worshipped as ''kami''. In this sense, these ''kami'' are worshipped not because of their godly powers, but because of a distinctive quality or virtue. An example of this is [[Tenjin (kami)|Tenjin]], who was [[Sugawara no Michizane]] (845–903 CE) in life. These ''kami'' are celebrated regionally, and miniature shrines{{example needed|date=October 2025}} (''[[hokora]]'') have been built in their honor.

Within Shinto, it is believed that the nature of life is sacred because the ''kami'' began human life. Yet humans cannot perceive the sacredness the ''kami'' created without assistance. Therefore, {{Nihongo||真心|[[magokoro]]}}, or purification, is necessary to see the divine nature.<ref name="religionfacts1">{{cite web|url=http://www.religionfacts.com/shinto/index.htm |title=Shinto |publisher=ReligionFacts |date=2016-11-17 |access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|sure=yes|reason=Source appears to be a self-published site.|date=November 2017}} This purification can only be granted by the ''kami''. To please the ''kami'' and earn ''magokoro'', Shinto followers are taught to uphold the four affirmations of Shinto.

The first affirmation is to hold fast to tradition and one's family line. Family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved. For instance, a given tradition may be observed and passed on to future generations at marriage or birth. The second affirmation is to have a love of nature. Nature objects are worshipped as sacred because the ''kami'' inhabit them. Therefore, to be in contact with nature means to be in contact with the gods. The third affirmation is to maintain physical cleanliness. Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouths often. The last affirmation is to practice ''[[matsuri]]'', which is the worship and honor given to the ''kami'' and ancestral spirits.<ref name="religionfacts1" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=March 2025}}

Shinto followers also believe that the ''kami'' are the ones who can either grant blessings or curses to a person. Shinto believers desire to appease the evil ''kami'' to "stay on their good side" and please the good ''kami''. In addition to practicing the four affirmations daily, Shinto believers also wear ''[[omamori]]'' to aid them in remaining pure and protected. Mamori are charms that keep the evil ''kami'' from striking a human with sickness or causing disaster to befall them.<ref name="religionfacts1" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=March 2025}}

The ''kami'' are both worshipped and respected within the religion of Shinto. The goal of life to Shinto believers is to obtain ''magokoro'', a pure sincere heart, which can only be granted by the ''kami''.<ref name="Halverson">{{cite book|last1=Halverson|first1=Dean C.|title=The Compact Guide to World Religions|date=1996|publisher=Bethany House Publishers|location=Minneapolis, Minnesota|isbn=1-55661-704-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/compactguidetowo00halv/page/205 205]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/compactguidetowo00halv/page/205}}</ref> As a result, Shinto followers are taught that humankind should venerate both the living and the nonliving, because both possess a divine superior spirit within: the ''kami''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hopfe|first1=Lewis M.|last2=Woodward|first2=Mark R.|title=Religions of the World|date=2009|publisher=Vango Books|location=New York|isbn=978-0-13-606177-9|edition=11th}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=January 2017}}

=== Amatsukami and Kunitsukami ===
{{Main|Amatsukami|Kunitsukami}}
[[Amatsukami]] and [[Kunitsukami]] are categories of ''kami'' in [[Japanese mythology]].<ref name="N">薗田稔、茂木栄 『日本の神々の事典 神道祭祀と八百万の神々』 [[学研ホールディングス|学研]]</ref>

"Amatsukami" is a generic term for the gods in [[Takamagahara]], or those who descended from [[Tenson kōrin]], while "Kunitsukami" is a generic term for the gods who appeared on the earth ([[Ashihara no Nakatsukuni]]).<ref name="Y">戸部民夫 『八百万の神々 日本の神霊たちのプロフィール』 新紀元社</ref>

In Japanese mythology, the acceptance of the transfer of the land ([[Ashihara no Nakatsukuni]]) by the Kunitsukami to the Amatsu deities led by [[Ninigi-no-Mikoto]] is described as ''[[kuni-yuzuri]]''. It is thought that the deity worshipped by the people of the region pacified{{when|date=October 2025}} by the [[Yamato Kingship]] (i.e., the [[Emishi]], [[Hayato people|Hayato]], etc.) became the Kunitsukami; the deities worshipped by the [[Imperial House of Japan|imperial family]] and powerful clans of the Yamato Kingship became the Amatsukami.<ref name="N" /> Many of the original traditions of the Kunitsukami were altered when they were incorporated into the ''[[Nihon Shoki]]'' (The Chronicles of Japan); many did not survive.<ref name="K">藤巻一保 『古事記外伝 正史から消された神話群』 学研</ref> The Chronicles of Japan give some references to earlier traditions (e.g., "Ichi Sho Saying" and "Aru Hon Yun" in most volumes of the ''Nihon Shoki''), but the original recorded documents have been lost.<ref name="K" />

''Tsu'' is a case particle in [[Old Japanese]], meaning "god of heaven" or "god of the country" in modern Japanese.<ref>菅田正昭 『面白いほどよくわかる神道のすべて』 [[Nihon Bungeisha|日本文芸社]]</ref> Sometimes written "Amatsugami" or "Kunitsugami.<ref>山折哲雄、田中治郎 『面白いほどよくわかる日本の神様 古事記を彩る神々の物語を楽しむ』 日本文芸社</ref>{{Explain|reason=Sentence is unclear and needs a coherent point|date=January 2024}}

Amatsukami are also called Tenjin, and Kunitsukami are called {{Nihongo|Chigi|地祇}}.<ref>山北篤 『東洋神名事典』 新紀元社</ref> Some people believe that the names "{{Nihongo|Tenjin Chigi|天神地祇}}" and "{{Nihongo|Jingi|神祇}}" are derived from the Chinese classics. A different theory that the concept is completely different and different from the Japanese one has been presented.<ref name="N" />

Another similar concept is {{Nihongo|Tenchi Shinmei|天地神明}}.<ref name=":0">[https://kotobank.jp/word/天地神明-578490 天地神明とは] - [[Kotobank|コトバンク]]</ref>

{{lang|ja|天地神明}} (Tenchi-Shinmei) is a Japanese four-character idiom that refers to the gods of heaven and earth. It is used in expressions such as "I swear by the gods of heaven and earth" and conveys a sense of reverence and commitment.<ref name=":0" /> The origins of the term can be traced back to ancient Chinese classical texts, where the expression "{{lang|ja|天地}}" (Tenchi) and "{{lang|ja|神明}}" (Shinmei) were often used together to refer to the gods of heaven and earth, or to the gods and the universe as a whole. However, there are also instances where the expression was used to refer specifically to the gods of heaven and earth.<ref name=":0" /> In Japan, the term {{lang|ja|天地神明}} has been in use for centuries and is often associated with the image of the numerous gods and deities that have been worshipped in Japanese folklore and mythology.<ref name=":0" />

[[Susanoo-no-Mikoto]], who was cast out of Takamagahara, and his descendants, such as [[Ōkuninushi]], are considered to be Kunitsukami.

{{ill|Ogasawara Shozo|lt=Ogasawara Shozo|ja|小笠原省三}} proposed a system justifying [[Japanese Imperialism]] wherein Japanese people in the colonies were seen as [[Amatsukami]] and natives were seen as [[Kunitsukami]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last1=Kōji |first1=Suga |last2=𳜳𨀉𠄈 |date=2010 |title=A Concept of "Overseas Shinto Shrines": A Pantheistic Attempt by Ogasawara Shōzō and Its Limitations |url=https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/journal/6/issue/180/article/1292|journal=[[Japanese Journal of Religious Studies]] |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=47–74 |jstor=27822899 |issn=0304-1042}}</ref> However, he was later censored, as his position was considered too supportive of the rights of colonized peoples.<ref name=":02" />

== Ceremonies and festivals ==
One of the first recorded rituals is {{Nihongo|[[Niiname-sai]]|新嘗祭}},<ref name="Ohnuki-Tierney" /> the ceremony in which the [[emperor of Japan]] offers newly harvested rice to the ''kami'' to secure their blessing for a bountiful harvest. A yearly festival, Niiname-sai, is also performed when a new emperor [[Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor|comes to power]], in which case it is called {{Nihongo|Daijō-sai|大嘗祭}}. In the ceremony, the emperor offers crops from the new harvest to the ''kami'', including rice, fish, fruits, soup, and stew. The emperor first feasts with the deities, then the guests. The feast could go on for some time; for example, [[Hirohito|Emperor Shōwa]]'s feast spanned two days.<ref name="Ohnuki-Tierney" />

[[File:Itsukushima Shinto Shrine.jpg|right|thumb|514x514px|[[Itsukushima Shrine|Itsukushima Shinto Shrine]], [[Miyajima Island]], [[Hiroshima Prefecture]], Japan. This shrine is believed to be where the ''kami'' dwell, and hosts many ceremonies and festivals.]]

Visitors to a [[Shinto shrine]] follow a purification ritual before presenting themselves to the ''kami''. This ritual begins with hand washing and swallowing and later spitting a small amount of water in front of the shrine to purify the body, heart, and mind. Once this is complete, they focus on gaining the ''kami's'' attention. The traditional method of doing this is to bow twice, clap twice, and bow again, alerting the ''kami'' to their presence and desire to commune with them. During the last bow, the supplicant offers words of gratitude and praise to the ''kami''; if they are offering a prayer for aid, they will also state their name and address. After the prayer and/or worship, they repeat the two bows, two claps, and a final bow in conclusion.<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|197}}

Shinto practitioners also worship at home. This is done at a ''[[kamidana]]'' (household shrine), on which an ''[[ofuda]]'' with the name of their protector or ancestral ''kami'' is positioned. Their protector ''kami'' is determined by their or their ancestors' relationship to the ''kami''.<ref name="Yamakage" />{{rp|28, 84}}

Ascetic practices, shrine rituals and ceremonies, and [[Japanese festivals]] are the most public ways Shinto devotees celebrate and offer adoration for the ''kami''. ''Kami'' are celebrated during their distinct festivals that usually take place at the shrines dedicated to their worship. Many festivals involve believers, who are oftentimes intoxicated, parading, sometimes running, toward the shrine while carrying [[mikoshi]] (portable shrines) as the community gathers for the festival ceremony. Yamamoto Guji, the high priest at the [[Tsubaki Grand Shrine]], explains that this practice honors the ''kami'' because "it is in the festival, the matsuri, the greatest celebration of life can be seen in the world of Shinto and it is the people of the community who attend festivals as groups, as a whole village who are seeking to unlock the human potential as children of kami".<ref name="Boyd" /> During the New Year Festival, families purify and clean their houses in preparation for the upcoming year. Offerings are also made to the ancestors so that they will bless the family in the future year.{{Citation needed|date=July 2013}}

Shinto ceremonies are so long and complex that in some shrines, it can take ten years for the priests to learn them.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shinto/Ritual-practices-and-institutions|title=Shintō – Ritual practices and institutions|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2018-11-26|language=en}}</ref> The priesthood was traditionally hereditary. Some shrines have drawn their priests from the same families for over a hundred generations.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/540847/shinshoku |title=Shinshoku |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica |date=1998-07-20 |access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref> It is not uncommon for the clergy to be female priestesses.<ref name="Britannica" /> The priests (''[[kannushi]]'') may be assisted by ''[[miko]]'', young unmarried women acting as shrine maidens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cla.calpoly.edu/~bmori/syll/Hum310japan/Shinto.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730131745/http://cla.calpoly.edu/~bmori/syll/Hum310japan/Shinto.html |archive-date=2013-07-30 |title=Shinto – The Way of the Gods |access-date=2017-05-02}}</ref> Neither priests nor priestesses live as ascetics; in fact, it is common for them to be married,<ref name="Britannica" /> and they are not traditionally expected to meditate. Rather, they are considered specialists in the art of maintaining the connection between the ''kami'' and the people.<ref name="Britannica" />

In addition to these festivals, ceremonies marking rites of passage are also performed within the shrines. Two such ceremonies are the birth of a child and the Shichi-Go-San. When a child is born, they are brought to a shrine so that they can be initiated as a new believer and the ''kami'' can bless them and their future life. The Shichi-Go-San (the Seven-Five-Three) is a rite of passage for five-year-old boys and three- or seven-year-old girls. It is a time for these young children to personally offer thanks for the ''kami''{{'s}} protection and to pray for continued health.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/shinto.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130113044532/http://www.religioustolerance.org/shinto.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=13 January 2013 |title=SHINTO |publisher=Religious Tolerance |access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|sure=yes|reason=Source appears to be a self-published site.|date=November 2017}}

Shinto believers practice many other rites of passage, and there are also many other festivals. The main reason for these ceremonies is so that Shinto followers can appease the ''kami'' in order to reach ''magokoro''.<ref name="Halverson" />{{rp|205}} ''Magokoro'' can only be received through the ''kami''. Ceremonies and festivals are long and complex because they need to be perfect to satisfy the ''kami''. If the ''kami'' are not pleased with these ceremonies, they will not grant a Shinto believer ''magokoro''.

== Notable kami ==
{{Main|List of Japanese deities}}
* [[Amaterasu Ōmikami]], the [[sun]] [[goddess]] and chief deity of Shinto
* [[Ebisu (mythology)|Ebisu]], one of seven [[god]]s of [[Luck|fortune]]
* [[Fūjin]], the god of wind
* [[Hachiman]], the tutelary [[god]] of [[war]]
* [[Inari (mythology)|Inari Ōkami]], the god of rice and agriculture
* [[Izanagi]]-no-Mikoto, the first man
* [[Izanami]]-no-Mikoto, the first woman
* [[Kotoamatsukami]], the primary kami trinity
* [[Emperor Meiji|Meiji Tennō]]
* [[Omoikane (Shinto)|Omoikane]], the deity of wisdom
* [[Raijin]], the god of lightning, thunder and storms
* [[Ryūjin]], the [[Japanese dragon]] god of sea and storms
* [[Sarutahiko Ōkami]], the kami of earth
* [[Susanoo-no-Mikoto]], the god of the [[sea]] and [[storm]]s
* [[Tenjin (kami)|Tenjin]], the poetry god
* [[Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto]], the [[moon]] god
* [[Emperor Jimmu|Yamato Iware-biko no Mikoto]], [[Emperor of Japan|Japanese emperors]]

== In popular culture ==
{{Main|Shinto in popular culture}}Kami appear as a creature group in the trading card game [[Magic: The Gathering]], specifically within the Kamigawa extensions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kami, 56 cards {{!}} Magic: The Gathering |url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/search?searchTerm=kami |access-date=2025-11-12 |website=Magic: The Gathering Card Database |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Div col}}
* {{annotated link|Ainu religion}}
* {{annotated link|Chinese folk religion}}
* [[Elemental]]
* [[Glossary of Shinto]]
* {{annotated link|Kadomatsu}}
* {{annotated link|Ko-Shintō}}
* {{annotated link|Kotodama}}
* {{section link|List of divinities in Japanese mythology#Shinto}}
* {{annotated link|Ryukyuan religion}}
* {{annotated link|Shen (Chinese religion)|Shen}}
* {{annotated link|Shintai}}
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [[Basil Hall Chamberlain|Chamberlain, Basil H.]] (translated by). 1919. [https://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/kj/index.htm ''The Kojiki, Records of Ancient Matters'']. [[Asiatic Society of Japan]].
* Clarke, Roger. 2000. "[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/what-are-the-little-monsters-up-to-281343.html What are the little monsters up to?]". ''[[The Independent]]''. 7 April 2000.
* [[Mary Pat Fisher|Fisher, Mary P.]] 2008. ''Living Religions'', 7th ed., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Prentice Hall, {{ISBN|978-0-13-614105-1}}.

== External links ==
{{Wiktionary|kami|megami|ogami}}
* [http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=235 Introduction: Kami] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123190614/http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=235 |date=23 November 2020 }}, Encyclopedia of Shinto
* [https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shinto-concepts.shtml#kami ''Kami''], Gods of Japan
* [http://www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/cpjr/kami/ito.html Evolution of the Concept of Kami] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126002950/http://www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/cpjr/kami/ito.html |date=26 January 2021 }}, Itō Mikiharu

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[[Category:Shinto kami| ]]
[[Category:Japanese deities]]
[[Category:Japanese mythology]]
[[Category:Nature spirits]]
[[Category:Shinto terminology]]
[[Category:Tutelary deities]]
[[Category:Types of deities]]