Understanding Kami

Kami are not "gods" in the Western sense. They are sacred presences — numinous, awe-inspiring forces that can reside in natural phenomena, places, and ancestors. The word suggests both "above" and "hidden" — something that transcends the ordinary yet is immanent in the world.

Kami are found in mountains (Fujisan is sacred), rivers, forests, wind, rain, rocks, fire, and ancestors. Certain trees, stones, and waterfalls are revered asyorishiro — objects in which Kami descend or manifest.

Amaterasu — the sun goddess, enshrined at Ise. Susanoo — associated with storms and the sea. Inari — kami of rice, foxes, and prosperity, worshipped at thousands of Inari shrines including Fushimi Inari in Kyoto.

Every shrine (jinja) is dedicated to specific Kami. Visiting a shrine is a way to pay respect, offer thanks, or ask for blessing from that particular Kami. The torii gate marks the boundary between the ordinary world and the sacred precinct.