The term “eight million” is symbolic, meaning an uncountable number of gods. These gods are believed to come from the spirits of all kinds of beings — people, animals, and even objects. As a result, gods are thought to reside in rivers, mountains, trees, and even in toilets. There is also a belief that tools and man-made objects have souls, which connects to the Japanese idea of mottainai — the spirit of not wasting things.