Kami are not understood as being metaphysically different from humanity, with it being possible for humans to become kami. Dead humans are sometimes venerated as kami, being regarded as protector or ancestral figures. One of the most prominent examples is that of the Emperor Ōjin, who on his death was enshrined as the kami Hachiman, believed to be a protector of Japan and a kami of war. In Japanese culture, ancestors can be viewed as a form of kami. In Western Japan, the term "jigami" is used to describe the enshrined kami of a village founder. In some cases, living human beings were also viewed as kami; these were called "akitsumi kami" or "arahito-gami". In the State Shinto system of the Meiji era, the Emperor of Japan was declared to be a kami, while several Shinto sects have also viewed their leaders as living kami.