Kami are believed to be “hidden” from this world, inhabiting a parallel existence that mirrors our own, known as Shinkai (the world of the Kami). Followers of Shinto believe that to be in harmony with the greatness of nature is to be conscious of ‘kannagara no michi’ (the way of the Kami).
Westerners associate Kami with spirits or gods, but followers of Shinto regard them differently. They are not divine like the transcendent and omnipotent deities found in many religions. Neither are they perfect, as they often make mistakes and behave badly. There are more like extensions of the natural world, unpredictable like the weather, sometimes warm like the sun, or as hard and cold as ice.
One of the first Kami in existence was Amatsu-Mikaboshi (August Star of Heaven). He was the lord of the middle heavens, associated with the Pole Star, and early myths describe him as a manifestation of chaos. Eventually this chaos was shattered into two parts, known as Yo and In (male and female energy). Mikaboshi’s primordial chaos then became a background force that is said to create all the disorder in the world (e.g. human passion, earthquakes, and social anarchy).
One of the first gods to emerge from the newly formed cosmos was Izanagi. Together, with his sister Izanami, they created the islands of Japan, and sired the first lineage of Kami. Sadly, Izanami died after giving birth to the fire-god Kagu-tsuchi. Izanagi tried to rescue her spirit from the Underworld, but when he saw her monstrous form, he abandoned his attempt. To avenge her shame, she promised to kill a thousand of humans every day. Izanagi responded by saying her would then create one thousand, five hundred lives to ensure the survival of humanity.
After his descent into the Underworld, Izanagi began to wash his face from the pollutants of the nether lands. As he washed in a pool, three deities emerged from his face: Susanoo, the sea Kami, was born from his nose; Amaterasu, the Sun Kami, was born from Izanagi’s left eye; and Tsukuyomi, the moon Kami, was born from his right eye.
Tsukuyomi lived in the heaven with his sister Amaterasu, who later became his wife. Tsukuyomi angered Amaterasu when he killed her friend, Uke Mochi, the goddess of food. After she learned of his foul deed, she refused to ever look at Tsukuyomi again, forever moving to another part of the sky.
Susanoo, is known as the Kami of sea storms, whose powerful gales come into force during the summer months. There was a long-standing rivalry between Susanoo and his sister Amaterasu, which came to a head when Susanoo destroyed his sister’s rice fields and killed one of her attendants. Amaterasu was so angry, that she took to hiding in a cave, drawing the world into perpetual darkness.
It was Omoikane, the Kami of wisdom, who helped return the world to light once again. His name means “serving one’s thoughts,” and his followers often call upon him for insight and good counsel. He was able to hold many thoughts at once or combine them to form one profound insight. At the time Amaterasu hid away in the rock cave of Heaven, Omoikane considered various measures to draw her out again, which led to the successful return of Amaterasu to the world.
Whereas Susanoo was the Kami of the sea storms, Ryūjin was the Kami of sea itself. He was often depicted as a dragon, symbolising the power of the ocean, and was able to take on human form. He lived in a palace under the sea, built out of red and white coral. Ryūjin was the father of the Kami Otohime, who married the hunter Hoori. Their grandson would become the first leader of Japan, (‘Emperor Jimmu’). This means that the Imperial dynasty of Japan is descended from the great sea Kami, Ryūjin.
Another famous water deity was Suijin, the Kami of fresh water. He is the guardian of the fishing folk, fertility, and child-birth. People revere Suijin, hoping for clean drinking water, strong crop yields, and for successful fishing trips. Shrines devoted to Suijin can be found throughout Japan at springs, streams, rivers etc. They are marked by stone markers devoted to the Water Kami, and are considered extremely sacred.
Raijin was a storm Kami, who drew upon the waters of Suijin to produce rain, thunder and lightening. He is typically depicted as a demon-looking spirit beating drums to create thunder. Raijin was created by the divine pair Izanami and Izanagi after the creation of Japan.
Raijin’s companion is the demon Fūjin — the Kami of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He is portrayed as a terrifying wizard-like demon, resembling a green-skinned humanoid wearing a leopard skin, carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders. At the moment of his birth, it was said that his breath was so powerful that all the clouds and mists in the world were immediately dispersed and world was full of brightness.
Another powerful deity who grew to prominence in Japan was Hachiman, the Kami of war. In his earliest incarnation, Hachiman was a Kami of abundance who was prayed too for a good harvest. Later he was associated with the legendary Emperor Ōjin (3rd — 4th century CE), who was deified as a guardian of Japan. As a Kami of prosperity and martial prowess, Hachiman then became an ideal Kami for the Samurai to follow. Throughout the Japanese medieval period, the worship of Hachiman spread throughout the country, revered by both the peasantry and the samurai.
To help temper the aggressive pursuits of warlords, many Japanese people worshipped Ninigi, the Kami of politics. He was the grandson of Amaterasu, sent to earth to pacify the Japanese. He gifted them three celestial artefacts; the sword Kusanagi, the mirror Yata no kagami, and the jewel Yasakani no magatama. Whoever held these gifts were said to be the true descendants of Amaterasu herself. Later, Ninigi married the daughter of an earth kami, called Ōyamatsumi. Together, they sired the first emperor of Japan, Jinmu.
Not all Kami emerged during the formation of Japan. Tenjin was the Kami of scholarship, who was the deification of the legendary scholar Sugawara no Michizane. He was a politician who rose to great heights in the late 9th century. At the beginning of the 10th century he fell victim to a plot by a rival family (the Fujiwara), who had him exiled. After his death in 903 CE, the city was struck by a powerful storm, and many of the Fujiwara clan died. The court came to the conclusion that the storm was caused by Michizane’s angry spirit. In order to placate it, the emperor restored all Michizane’s offices, burned the official order of exile, and ordered that the poet be worshipped under the name Tenjin, which means sky deity.
ARTWORK BY
Christophe Bastin
Leonardo Borazio
Rodrigue Pralier
Milek Jakubiee
Dariyen
Darian
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