In Japan, it has long been understood that the divine does not exist only in special or sacred places.
Not only in nature—such as mountains, rivers, stones, and wind—but also in fields, homes, and human activities, the presence of the divine has been recognized.
An invisible power within all things. In Japan, this essence is lived and revered as “Kami.”
This way of perceiving divinity in all things is referred to in Japan as yaoyorozu no kami.
The word yaoyorozu means “countless.”
However, it does not simply refer to a large number of gods.
Gods as Forces Beyond Human Control
Japan is a land where the changing seasons are clearly felt.
Within this environment, people have come to recognize through daily life that the forces of nature exist beyond human understanding and control.
Volcanic eruptions, heavy rains, snow, and sunlight.
These forces can bring devastating disasters, yet at the same time, they provide the blessings that sustain life.
People have not regarded these forces as mere natural phenomena, but as presences worthy of reverence.
The god of the mountains, the god of water, the god of the rice fields.
The various forces at work in nature have been called “gods,” and their presence has been honored.
Beyond the reach of human power lies a realm. The will that resides there is known as God.
A World Where Many Gods Coexist
The gods of Japan are not mutually exclusive beings.
Unlike monotheistic traditions that believe in a single, absolute god, the Japanese concept of divinity is remarkably open and diverse.
The divine does not dwell in a distant heaven, but lives as an unseen force in the soil beneath our feet and in the wind that passes through.
There are gods of the mountains, and gods of the sea.
There are gods who protect the fields, and gods who protect the home.
For the Japanese, who have long perceived diverse forces within nature, the divine is not something that can be reduced to a single entity.
Each god has its own place and role, yet all exist together within the same world.
They are not beings that compete with one another, but are understood as presences that watch over their respective domains.
This idea—that many gods coexist—clearly reflects the Japanese worldview.
The Worldview Revealed by Yaoyorozu no Kami
Not only nature—such as mountains, rivers, stones, and wind—but also human activity exists within the same world.
Human beings are not set apart as special; rather, all things exist within a web of connections.
Instead of excluding what is different, each existence is acknowledged in its own role, and allowed to coexist.
This sensibility is one of the elements that has shaped the Japanese worldview.
This way of understanding is also reflected in everyday life.
In a country like Japan, where natural disasters are frequent, a culture of helping and supporting one another has also developed.
At its foundation, this way of thinking can be felt to quietly persist.
Yaoyorozu no Kami in Everyday Life
In Japan, it has long been understood that the divine is not distant, but present close to everyday life.
Shrines are built on mountainsides and at mountaintops.
In spring, the deity of the fields is welcomed down from the mountains, and in autumn, it is sent back with gratitude for the harvest.
At the New Year, people visit shrines for hatsumōde, and offerings of rice, salt, and water are placed on household altars (kamidana).
A sacred space within the home. In Japan, divinity is not distant; it is welcomed into daily life through the ritual of offering rice, salt, and water.
Through daily prayers and acts of gratitude, people have marked the passing of the seasons year after year.
These annual practices are not merely customs, but the very rhythm of life in which people live with nature and alongside the divine.
Within this rhythm, the Japanese understanding of the divine has been passed down, closely tied to everyday life.
Even when referring to the same deity, its name and character may differ by region, and its meaning shifts according to the wishes of the people.
The divine is not an unchanging existence, but also a mirror that reflects human intention and feeling.
Why Do Japanese People See Divinity in Everything?
The Japanese archipelago is a land that has long faced the forces of nature—earthquakes, typhoons, volcanoes, and floods.
Human beings cannot fully control nature, and have lived while continuously confronting its power.
Mountains give rise to water.
Rivers nourish the rice fields.
Wind and rain help crops grow.
Yet at the same time, nature can also bring destruction.
When faced with forces beyond human control, people come to sense that some form of will or power is at work.
For this reason, nature has not been regarded as mere matter, but as something that possesses power.
This sensibility has not been directed toward nature alone.
Even in long-used tools, old buildings, land, and places, something is felt to reside.
Rather than dividing the world into humans and everything else, people have found life and power within all things.
This is precisely the way of thinking that has been expressed in Japan as yaoyorozu no kami.
A way of directing respect toward everything that surrounds us.
It reflects, in essence, the Japanese way of living—how one chooses to exist within and relate to this world.
It is not only humans who are special — all things exist in connection with one another.
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