One of the major feature of Japanese religious life is the way in which man, gods, and nature are closely interrelated on the same plane. The term god can mean kami, Buddhist divinities, or even souls of the dead. Nature stands for not only an objective and inert collection of substance, but 'the sacred rhythm of the cosmos as a living unity'.

As seen in Shinto mythology, the kami express their sacredness and power through their embodiment in Nature, such as the sun, moon, wind, trees, rivers, and mountains. Both kami and man are defined in relation to Nature or as a part of Nature. Buddhism's openness to the natural world later was developed into a return to Nature by the Zen sect.

Shinto Kami
The Shinto's worship of Nature is most significantly evident in its earliest stage. In this stage, Shinto reveals an aspect of low nature religion, bearing a crude view of the world and life in animism, or animatism. The latter is a common belief among ancient cultures, in which they regard everything in Nature as animated, sentient beings like themselves. Some of the old Shinto texts tell that trees, herb, and even rocks are all endowed with the power of speech.

The earliest picture of Japan in the poetry anthology Manyoshu, and also in the early Shinto rituals, shows a refined appreciation of the religious and creative resources in the natural world. For instance, the poem 'The Three Hills' describes the age-old account of how two male mountains competed for the love of another female mountain. Here aesthetic, religious, and romantic elements are blended in portraying the Nature.

The Three Hills

Mount Kagu strove with Mount Miminashi

For the love of Mount Unebi.

Such is love since the age of the gods:

As it was thus in the early days

So people strive for spouses even now....

However, due to their power in affecting the environment, the natural entities are regarded as superhuman or sacred forces, namely kami. Though the word kami cannot be sufficiently translated into English, the words of the eighteenth century scholar, Motoori Norinaga can be borrowed to cite a comprehensive account of the meaning of kami.

In ancient usage, anything whatsoever which was outside the ordinary, which possessed superior power or which awe-inspiring was called kami...  In the Nihongi and Manyoshu the tiger and the wolf are also spoken of as kami. There were cases in which peaches were given the name, August-Thing-Great-Kamu-Fruit. There are again numerous places in which seas and mountains are called kami. This does not have reference to the spirit of the mountain or the sea, but kami is used here directly of the particular mountain or sea. This is because they were exceedingly awe-inspiring.  Hence, kami is basically a term that distinguishes between a world of superior beings and things which are thought of as filled with mysterious power, and a world of common experiences that lie within the realm of ordinary human technique.

Practical aspects
The Japanese believed that kami regulate the forces of Nature, and that incantation was used to invoke the kami, to control these forces of Nature, and to realize a desired goal. Study of the early rituals indicates that the primary interests expressed in the public religious rites were to safeguard the food supply, to ward off calamities of fire, wind, rain, drought, earthquake and pestilence, to obtain numerous offspring and peaceful homes, to secure the prosperity and permanence of the imperial reign, and to effect purgation of ceremonial and moral impurity. These concerns are of most values and priorities to the ancient agricultural society in Japan.

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