Shinto () is a form of Japanese animism. It has many "kami", translated as gods or nature spirits. Some "kami" are just spirits of certain places, and some are the overall "kami" (like "Amaterasu", the Sun goddess). The word "Shinto" comes from the Japanese words "", "shin"—the word for spirit or god, and "", "tō"—the word for "the way" or "path". So, Shinto means "the way of the gods." 