In Shinto, what number is often used to represent the countless kami?

In Shinto, the number often used to represent the countless kami is eight million.

This expression is known as Yaoyorozu no Kami, commonly translated as “Eight Million Gods.” It is not intended as a literal census of exactly 8,000,000 deities. Instead, the phrase conveys an immeasurable multitude of kami present throughout the natural and human worlds.

Shinto kami may be associated with mountains, rivers, storms, oceans, trees, places, ancestors, and notable people. Some have major shrines and established rituals, while others may be local or receive little formal worship. This broad understanding is why “eight million” works as a poetic image of abundance rather than a fixed theological total.

The concept is often linked with Japan’s early mythological records, especially the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, compiled in the eighth century. Eight is also culturally significant in East Asia, helping explain why it appears in expressions suggesting vastness. “Infinite” captures the idea loosely, but eight million is the conventional phrase.