In Shinto, the Japanese word for a sacred spirit or deity is kami.
Kami are revered presences associated with natural features, forces, objects, places, and ancestors. Mountains, waterfalls, unusual stones, and prominent trees can all become connected with kami through long-standing religious tradition. Kami are not identical to the all-powerful gods of monotheistic religions; the term covers a broad range of sacred beings and presences.
Shinto shrines are places where particular kami are enshrined and honored. Rituals commonly involve purification, offerings, prayers, and festivals called matsuri. The word kami can also appear in names such as Amaterasu-Ōmikami, the sun goddess traditionally enshrined at Ise Grand Shrine.
A common mix-up is treating kami and yōkai as synonyms. Yōkai are generally supernatural creatures or phenomena in Japanese folklore, while kami are objects of reverence within Shinto. Some beings can have overlapping interpretations depending on the source and historical period.