Often translated as “god”, a Japanese kami is closer to the concept of a spirit. They are (mostly) not considerd to be omniscient nor omnipotent, but rather they influence the human world within a certain capacity.
It is often said that in Japan there are 8 million kami. Some of the more well known are Amaterasu-o-mi-kami the sun goddess, Inari the rice god/dess, and Ebisu the god of wealth and commerce.
Whether or not most people actually believe in kami is unclear, but it seems that many people believe in luck and unseen forces. Certainly the shrines are crowded at New Years time, and also at the start of the new financial year when many business people queue to pray to Ebisu.
Some people say that when we die, we all become kami.
Calligraphy by Vicky 