Traditionally, kami were also associated with Japan’s clans. They are “called down” to dwell in the multitude of domestic and public shrines, shrines in parks and factories, shrines on the roadside and byways. Kami dwell naturally in trees and fields, mountaintops and seashores, rivers and waterfalls.
Japan is alive with the presence of kami. In the shrine, the kami are not depicted in image form but symbolized most commonly by a mirror. They are known by both presence and power, the sense of “divine presence” that rests upon or dwells in a particular place, the “holy power” manifest in nature or abiding in a shrine. Some may translate the term kami into English as “god,” “deity,” or “spirit,” but kami eludes an easy translation. Shintō, the “way of the kami,” is a tradition indigenous to Japan.
The prayers were for the success of Apollo 11, the American space mission which would see human beings stand, for the first time, on the moon. It is the basis for Japanese society’s emphasis on harmony and the cooperative utilization of individual strengths.On July 16, 1969, the Reverend Yukitaka Yamamoto, a high priest of the Shintō tradition, dressed in immaculate white robes and a pointed black hat, performed a traditional Shintō ritual of offering and prayer at the United Nations in New York City. This is mentioned in records from the 8th Century which tell the story of the Divine Age before written history began. Each kami plays its own role in the ordering of the world, and, when faced with a problem, the kami gather to discuss the issue in order to solve it. Shinto observes no one single, omnipotent Creator. Through ceremonies, called matsuri, they appease the kami and It is to the kami that the Japanese turn to pacify this sometimes calm but at times raging aspect of nature.
Even the smallest animals can bring harm - the mouse that eats our grain and carries disease, and the locust that devastates our crops. The blossom-scented wind, a harbinger of spring, can become a wild storm. The oceans, where life first appeared, may suddenly rise, sending violent tidal waves onto the land, causing much destruction and grief. The sun, which gives life to all living things, sometimes patches the earth, causing drought and famine. Nature’s severity does not take human comfort and convenience into consideration. Individuals who have made a great contribution to the state or society may also be enshrined and revered as kami. Kami derived from nature - such as the kami of rain, the kami of wind, the kami of the mountains, the kami of the sea, and the kami of thunder - have a deep relationship with our lives and a profound influence over our activities. Since ancient times, Japanese have expressed the divine energy or life-force of the natural world as kami.
KAMI JAPANESE SERIES
The “Soul of Japan” series provides an introduction to Shinto and Ise Jingu. Therefore, JAPAN Forward and Jinja Honcho have collaborated to bring readers an explanation of the key concepts of kami, matsuri, shrines, myths, and many other traditions and beliefs which form the core of Japanese culture. Many of Japan’s traditions and ideas are unfamiliar to those outside of Japan.
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