About Kamisama

Kami (神), or Kamisama (神様), to put it bluntly, are the objects of worship to those who practice Shinto. They're most accurately translated as "divine spirits".

Kami exist everywhere. In mountains, rivers, the wind, the sand, in every grain of rice, in every song, and even in kitchen utensils, computers and people. Their spirits, mitama (御霊) are not bound to anything, but some Kami might choose some vessels more than others. These vessels are called Yorishiro (依り代).

As opposed to western gods, Kami are less about punishment and more about teaching via cause and effect. Of course water kami will stop providing fish if the lake both reside in is polluted, for example. Likewise, their worship often includes protecting wildlife and community.

They don't have set forms, although with the official introduction of Buddhism, they were often depicted as human-like beings. See the image below, of Okuninushi no Kami and the White Hare of Inaba.

They are usually separated into the categories of Amatsukami (天津神) and Kunitsukami (国津神), which mean heavenly kami and earthly kami respectively. The former were born and/or reside in the Heavens, known as Takamahagara (高天原), and the latter were born and/or reside on Earth. Sometimes they're all collectively referred to as Yaoyorozu no Kami (八百万の神).

Some other types of Kami include:

꩜ Arahitogami (現人神) are Kami who are humans. They can earn the title by being a shrineworker who worshippers attribute divine powers to, a person who becomes vessel to one or more Kamisama (they're also known as yorimashi (憑坐)), or by accomplishig other admirable deeds.

꩜ Dousojin (道祖神), also known as Sai no Kami (塞の神) usually govern boundaries, travel and often childbirth. They're usually depicted as a married couple carved into stone; they can be seen in the roadside or at village borders.

꩜ Kishin(鬼神) are often referred to as "wrathful deities" in English though they're less wrathful and more wild and untamed/untameable. They're usually depicted looking monstrous like oni and they're described as dangerous.

꩜ Koujin (荒神) are Kami of fire and the hearth.

꩜ Ryuu (竜) are dragons. They're all associated with water and weather, and are all considered Kamisama. Similarly to kishin, dragons are destructive and powerful, which is both due to the fact that they're gigantic beings and because they're all deaf.

꩜ Ujigami (氏神) can be clans' ancestral Kami, the local Kamisama of a village, or a Kami enshrined at a home altar being worshipped by a family. Generally they're the protectors of a community.

Keep in mind that Kami types don't have clear boundaries and many of them are location and/or faith-specific.