nobles and the sovereign as well as the Deity, Kami is used alike for nobles, Mikados and Gods. The following quotation from Motoöri, the famous Shinto theologian of the latter part of the eighteenth century, will help us to realise more fully what the Japanese understand by this word.
"The[1] term Kami is applied in the first place to the various deities of Heaven and Earth who are mentioned in the ancient records, as well as to their spirits (mi-tama) which reside in the shrines where they are worshipped. Moreover, not only human beings, but birds, beasts, plants and trees, seas and mountains, and all other things whatsoever which deserve to be dreaded and revered for the extraordinary and pre-eminent powers which they possess are called Kami. They need not be eminent for surpassing nobleness, goodness, or serviceableness alone. Malignant and uncanny beings are also called Kami, if only they are the objects of general dread. Among Kami who are human beings I need hardly mention first of all the successive Mikados—with reverence be it spoken. … Then there have been numerous examples of divine human beings both in ancient and modern times, who, although not accepted by the nation generally, are treated as gods, each of his several dignity, in a single province, village or family. … Amongst Kami who are not human beings, I need hardly mention thunder (in Japanese Naru kami or the Sounding God). There are also the dragon, the echo (called in Japanese Ko-dama or the Tree-Spirit), and the fox, who are Kami by reason of their uncanny and fearful natures. The term Kami is applied in the Nihongi and Manyōshiu to the tiger and wolf. Izanagi gave to the fruit of the peach, and to the jewels round his neck, names which implied that they were Kami. … There are many cases of seas and mountains being called Kami. It is not their spirits which
- ↑ See also Sir E. Satow's Revival of Pure Shinto, in the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, 1875.
