Kami and Shrine Traditions
Kami are the sacred beings honored at Shinto shrines. Some appear in the two oldest Japanese chronicles, the Kojiki (712) and the Nihon Shoki (720). Others are local guardians, forces of nature or deified people. Many of them are still addressed in prayer today, at shrines that have their own festivals, rules and priests.
That is why the scrolls in this category are written differently from the rest of the site. We describe what the old books say and where the two chronicles disagree, and then we describe what happens at the shrine now. We do not treat these figures as monsters or characters. They are objects of present-day devotion.
How to read this shelf
- Read the "living practice" box first: it tells you what is done today, which can differ from the myth.
- Notice when a detail comes from one chronicle only. The Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki often tell the same episode in different ways.
- For worship etiquette, trust the shrine itself, not a website.
The 9 scrolls
Who Is Amaterasu? The Sun Kami in the Kojiki and at Ise
Amaterasu is the sun kami of Shinto, honored as the ancestral kami of the imperial house and enshrined at the Inner Shrine of Ise. Her story comes from two early eighth-century court chronicles, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, which differ on her birth and on why she entered the cave.
Who Is Susanoo? The Storm Kami, the Serpent and the Sword
Susanoo is a Shinto kami known from the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki as a disruptive figure in heaven and an orderly ruler in Izumo, where he slays a serpent and finds a sword. He is honored today at Susa Shrine and, through the Gion faith, at Yasaka Shrine.
Who Is Izanami? Creator Kami, Death and the Land of Yomi
Izanami is the kami who, with Izanagi, bears the islands and many other kami in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, dies giving birth to the fire kami, and remains in Yomi. The two chronicles differ on her death, her burial and her part in the birth of the sun kami.
Who Is Inari? The Rice Kami of Fushimi, Foxes and Torii
Inari is the Shinto kami of rice and food, honored at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto and at Inari shrines across Japan. The kami is identified with Ukanomitama of the Kojiki, and foxes are its messengers, not the kami itself.
Who Is Hachiman? Usa, Emperor Ojin and the Warrior Guardian
Hachiman is a Shinto kami whose cult began at Usa in northern Kyushu and who is generally identified with the deified Emperor Ojin. Records show oracles, a Buddhist title and a later role as guardian of warriors, while the oldest chronicles do not name him.
Who Is Tsukuyomi? The Moon Kami in the Chronicles and at Ise
Tsukuyomi is the moon kami of Shinto and a sibling of Amaterasu. The Kojiki records only his birth and his rule over the night, while the Nihon Shoki adds variant tales. He is honored today at two shrines of Ise and in village moon-waiting customs.
Who Is Raijin? The Thunder Kami in Shrines, Temples and Screens
Raijin is the thunder kami of Japan, known from early chronicles, farm and shrine custom, and later temple statues and painted screens. This page keeps the shrine tradition, the Buddhist guardian and the artists' image apart, and says what each source can show.
Who Is Tenjin? Sugawara no Michizane as Scholar, Spirit and Kami
Tenjin is the kami into which the scholar-official Sugawara no Michizane (845-903) was deified after dying in exile. This page gives the history first, then the oracles, the lightning omens, the two great Tenmangu shrines and the later role as deity of learning.
Who Is Sarutahiko? The Kami Who Guided Ninigi, at Tsubaki and Ise
Sarutahiko is the earthly kami who meets the descending Ninigi at a crossroads and guides him. The Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki tell the scene differently, and only the Kojiki records his death. He is honored today at Tsubaki Grand Shrine and at a shrine in Ise.
Want to meet these beings as riddles first? Play the lantern game and choose this shelf.