Kami (神?) is the Japanese word for the spirits within objects in the Shinto faith. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity," Shinto scholars point out that such a translation can cause a serious misunderstanding of the term (Ono, 1962). In some instances, such as Izanagi and Izanami, kami are personified deities, similar to the gods of ancient Greece or Rome. is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male who invites" In Japanese mythology, is a Goddess of both creation and death as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 In other cases, such as those concerning the phenomenon of growth and natural objects, the spirits dwelling in trees, or forces of nature, translating "kami" exclusively as "god" or "deity" would be a gross mischaracterization. The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath In this respect it is more similar to the Roman concept of the numen. Numen ("presence" plural numina) is a Latin term for the power of either a deity or a spirit that is present in places and objects in the
Kami may, at its root, simply mean 'spirit', or an aspect of spirituality. It is written with the kanji "神", Sino-Japanese reading shin or jin; in Chinese, the character is used to refer to various nature spirits of traditional Chinese religion, but not to the Taoist deities or the Supreme Being. Chinese folk religion is a collective label given to various folkloric beliefs that draws heavily from Chinese mythology. An apparently cognate form, perhaps a loanword, occurs in the Ainu language as kamui and refers to an animistic concept very similar to Japanese kami. A loanword (or loan word) is a word directly taken into one Language from another with little or no translation The Ainu language (Ainu ain アイヌ イタク aynu itak; Japanese: ja アイヌ語 ainu-go) is spoken by the Ainu Kamui or Kamuy is the Ainu word for a spiritual or divine being in Ainu mythology In his translation of the Kojiki, Basil Hall Chamberlain provides the alternative interpretation that "The proper meaning of the word 'kami' is 'top', or 'above', and it is still constantly so used," citing the use of the word kami (髪?) (short for kami no ke (髪の毛?)) to refer to the hair that grows from the top of the head, the use of the term "O Kami" to refer to governmental figures and otherwise societal superiors, and a provincial title which seems to have been used into the late 19th century. Basil Hall Chamberlain ( 18 October 1850 &ndash 15 February 1935) was a professor of Tokyo Imperial University and one of the foremost
Because Japanese does not normally distinguish singular and plural in nouns, it is sometimes unclear whether kami refers to a single or multiple entities. When a plural concept is absolutely necessary, the term "kami-gami" (神々?) is used. It is often said that there are "eight million kami" (八百万の神 ya-o-yorozu no kami?)—in Japanese the number "eight million" is often used to imply infinity.
Similarly, gender is also not implied in the word kami, which can be used to refer to either male or female kami. The word "megami" (女神?), meaning female kami is a relatively recent addition to the language, and is rarely, if ever used in traditional sources.
Contents |
Shinto belief and kami
"Kami" are the central objects of worship for the Shinto faith. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. Shinto began as the various ancient animistic folk religions of Japan, and only became a unified religion much later as a result of efforts to separate out influences of other religions brought into Japan from abroad. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Thus, the concept of kami was developed first in various regional folk religions before being unified into the single religion of Shinto. As a result, the nature of what can be called "kami" is very broad 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, mountains, rivers, trees, and rocks; some animals; and ancestral spirits. Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) Thunder is the sound made by Lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener it can range from a sharp The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere 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 common people. The Imperial House of Japan (also referred to as the Imperial Family or kōshitsu, 皇室 comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of
There are other spirits designated as kami as well. For example, the guardian spirits of the land, occupations, and skills; spirits of Japanese heroes, men of outstanding deeds or virtues, and those who have contributed to civilization, culture and human welfare; those who have died for the state or the community (See: Yasukuni Shrine); and the pitiable dead. is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the Kami (spirits of Soldiers Not only spirits superior to man can be considered kami, but also spirits that are considered pitiable or weak have been considered kami in Shinto.
The concept of kami has been changed and refined since ancient times, although anything that was considered to be kami by ancient people will still be considered kami in "modern" Shinto. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. ("Modern" meaning since it was formalized into a unified religion under the influence of foreign religions like Buddhism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices ) Even within modern Shinto, there are no clearly defined criteria 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 kami-concept, rather than a difference in definitions.
In the ancient animistic religions, kami were understood as simply the divine forces of nature. Worshippers in ancient Japan revered creations of nature which exhibited a particular beauty and power such as waterfalls, mountains, boulders, animals, trees, grasses and even rice paddies. A waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water often in the form of a Stream, flowing over an Erosion -resistant rock Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many They strongly believed the spirits or resident kami deserved respect.
Although the ancient designations are still adhered to, in modern Shinto many priests also consider kami to be anthropomorphic spirits, with nobility and authority. Anthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely Human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings natural and supernatural phenomena material states and objects These include such mythological figures as Amaterasu, the sun goddess of the Shinto pantheon. or is in Japanese mythology a sun goddess and perhaps the most important Shinto. Although these kami can be considered deities, they are not considered omnipotent or omniscient. Omnipotence ( Omni Potens: "all Power " is unlimited power Omniscience (ɒm'nɪsɪəns (or Omniscient Point-of-View in writing is the capacity to know everything infinitely or at least everything that can be known about a character In the myths of Amaterasu, for example, she could not see the events of the human world. She also had to use divination rituals to see the future.
The kami traditionally possessed two souls, one gentle (nigi-mitama) and the other aggressive (ara-mitama). This human but powerful form of kami was also divided into amatsu-kami ("the heavenly deities") and kunitsu-kami ("the gods of the earthly realm"). A deity would behave differently according to which soul was in control at a given time. In many ways, this was representative of nature's sudden changes and would explain why there were kami for every meteorological event: snowfall, rain, typhoons, floods, lightning and volcanoes.
The ancestors of a particular family can also be worshipped as kami. In this sense, these kami were worshipped not because of their godly powers, but because of a distinct quality or value. These kami were regional and many shrines (hokora) were built in honour of these kami. In many cases, people who once lived can thus be deified as gods; an example of this is Tenjin, who was Sugawara no Michizane (845-903) in life. is the Shinto Kami of scholarship the deified Sugawara no Michizane. Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真 845 - March 26, 903) also known as Kan Shōjō (菅丞相 a grandson of Sugawara no Kiyotomo Events March 28 — Paris is sacked by Viking raiders probably under Ragnar Lodbrok, who collect a huge ransom in exchange Events By Place Europe The Vikings invade England. Asia Abaoji is named commander
In his 1946 Ningen-sengen radio broadcast, the emperor Hirohito declared that he is not an akitsumikami (manifest kami). Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. also known as, (April 29 1901 – January 7 1989 was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order reigning from December 25 1926 until his death However, after this declaration, Hirohito asked for permission from the occupying forces to worship his ancestors, and, upon receiving permission, he worshipped Amaterasu, thus implying that he was of divine descent. or is in Japanese mythology a sun goddess and perhaps the most important Shinto.
Kami in popular culture
References to specific kami or the general Shinto idea of kami appear in various areas of popular culture, including anime and manga, role-playing games, and literature. (anime in Japanese, ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. For instance the 2006 Capcom game Okami makes a play on words between the word for wolf and the word Kami, being that the pivotal protagonist is a wolf possessed by Amaterasu. or is in Japanese mythology a sun goddess and perhaps the most important Shinto. One literally plays the game as a Kami. A western example, the 2004 expansion to the trading card game Magic: The Gathering entitled Champions of Kamigawa features kami and Shinto as the basis for the ongoing storyline of the series. This article is somewhat over-complete Please do not add significant new content without first discussing it on the talk page Champions of Kamigawa is the name of the Magic The Gathering expansion set released October 1, 2004. Pokémon are sometimes considered the equivalents of traditional kami. This is a complete list of Pokémon which appear in the National Mode Pokédex as of the release of ''Pokémon Platinum''. [1] Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series shows the Conté royal family marrying into an Imperial line based on the Emperors of Japan; they preserve their claim to divine lineage by adding the "-kami" suffix to their names (e. Tamora Pierce ( December 13, 1954) is an author of Fantasy literature for young adults The Protector of the Small quartet is a series of books written by Tamora Pierce that tells the story of Keladry of Mindelan, a heroine in the fantasy land The Conté royal family are the Royal family of the kingdom of Tortall in Tamora Pierce 's Tortall series The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. Divinity and divine (sometimes 'the Divinity' or 'the Divine' are broadly applied but loosely defined terms used variously within different faiths and belief systems — In Grammar, a suffix (also postfix, ending) is an Affix which is placed at the end of a word g. , Princess Shinkokami). In 2005, the anime Kamichu! made its debute, with the main character Yurie Hitotsubashi becoming a god overnight and having to learn not only what kind of god she is, but how to live as one and to grow up as one. is a Japanese Anime television series strongly influenced by the Shinto religion that follows the adventures of Teenage goddess Yurie
Some notable kami
- Amaterasu, the sun goddess
- Tsukuyomi, the moon god
- Inari, god of foxes
- Kotoamatsukami, the primary kami trinity
- Izanagi, the first man
- Izanami, the first woman
- Susanoo, god of storms
- Sarutahiko, kami of earth
See also
References
- ^ Clarke, Roger. or is in Japanese mythology a sun goddess and perhaps the most important Shinto. The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities Tsukuyomi or Tsukiyomi (月読の命 or 月夜見の尊 Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto) also known as Tsukuyomi-no-kami, is the god of the Moon in God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. is the Japanese Kami of Fertility, Rice, Agriculture, Foxes Industry, and worldly success A fox is an Animal belonging to any one of about 27 Species (of which only 12 actually belong to the Vulpes genus or 'true foxes' of small In Japanese Shinto, Kotoamatsukami (別天神 literally means "distinguishing heavenly Kami " is the collective name for the first powers which is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male who invites" In Japanese mythology, is a Goddess of both creation and death as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. is the Shinto God of the Sea and storms Myths In Japanese mythology, Susanoo the Withering Wind of Summer is the brother of Amaterasu God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface and strongly implying Severe weather. Sarutahiko Ōkami (猿田毘古大神 猿田彦大神 is a Kami, a deity of the Japanese religion of Shinto. In Roman mythology a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions The primary religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintō (神道 " the way of the gods " "Film: What are the little monsters up to?", The Independent, 2000-04-07. The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Retrieved on 2007-11-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull "It is clear that Pokemon are pretty much the same thing as the traditional Kami. "
- Ono, Sokyo (1962). Shinto: The Kami Way. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3557-8.
- Chamberlain, B. H. (1882-1919) The Kojiki - translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain Public Domain (Published before copyright)
External links
 |
|
|
Mythic texts and folktales: |
|
| Religions | Sacred objects | Creatures and spirits |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic