Shinto has been around in a formal sense for over 1450 years, coexisting with Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Japan's present emperor is reportedly the 125th in an unbroken line of descendants of Emperor Jimmu. One of the most important deities is Amaterasu-omikami, the sun goddess, who, according to legend, gave birth to Japan's first ruler, Emperor Jimmu. There are literally millions of kamis, most of whom are associated with the heavens or natural objects on earth such as trees and mountains. 19th century Shinto priest Shintoism is an informal animist religion that honors ancestors, pays tribute to “kamis”, or spirits, and has traditionally had strong bonds with the Japanese state, emperor and culture.