In Japan, a shrine (jinja, 神社) is a place of worship in Shinto, the indigenous religion that honours kami (神) — sacred spirits tied to nature, ancestors, heroes, and remarkable places. Unlike a church or temple built mainly for sermons, a shrine is a living threshold between everyday life and the sacred: a grove, a gate, a hall, and open ground where people pause, bow, and leave offerings.
Shrines appear throughout daily life in Japan. Neighbours visit a local ujigami shrine for protection; students pray for exams at a Tenjin shrine; merchants favour Inari shrines; families buy omamori charms and draw omikuji fortune slips; and at New Year millions attend hatsumōde (初詣), the first shrine visit of the year. Festivals (matsuri), weddings, and seasonal rituals still centre on shrine communities, even when faith is quiet or personal.
Many shrine grounds also overlap with the world of folklore on this site. Fox messengers at Inari shrines connect to kitsune legends; thunder kami echo Raijin; boundary stones and sacred trees often appear in yōkai tales. Understanding shrines helps place those creatures in their real cultural setting — not only as story monsters, but as beings once approached with respect at the altar.
Search by name, prefecture, city, or shrine type below. Each listing notes enshrined kami, location, and a short description where available. Open a shrine page for maps, visitor notes, and links to official sites when we have them.
30,440 shrines found
Akita
HachimanLocated in the mountains of Akita Prefecture, mountain shrine is a serene Shinto site dedicated to...
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Akita
nullLocated in Akita Prefecture, Uppa-ryuji Shinsho and Godawan-e Jinsha shrines are two well-known Shin...
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Akita
Yamabushi-no-KamiLocated in Akita Prefecture, 湯殿山神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the mountain spirit kami of...
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Akita
InariLocated in Akita Prefecture, 二井山神明社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of rice and prosp...
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Akita
HachimanThe Hachimantai Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Hachi...
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Akita
GodaiGodai Shrine, located in the heart of Akita City, is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the worship...
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Akita
Sasage-no-okami三助稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the god of fertility and p...
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Akita
Inari OkamiLocated in the northeastern prefecture of Akita, Inawashiro Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to t...
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Akita
Iriatsume野中神社, located in the northern prefecture of Akita, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Okam...
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Akita
InariInakadate Jomon Sugi, a sacred cedar tree located within the grounds of Inda no Makoto Shrine in Nis...
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Akita
HachimanLocated in the heart of Akita, Honjoji Temple is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of wa...
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Akita
UnknownLocated in the Akita Prefecture, Sanbutsu-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the three god...
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Akita
HachimanThe Eight-Horsemanship Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god of war an...
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Akita
TamayotsukuniLocated in the heart of Akita City, Godai Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to Kamakura's...
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Akita
Yamatano Orochi no KamiLocated in the heart of Akita, Godai Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami, Yamatano Oroch...
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Akita
HachimanLocated in the scenic Akita Prefecture, Akita Hachimangū is a revered Shinto shrine dedicated to the...
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Akita
Located in the heart of Akita, Nagisaneyama-cho's Odate Town, Jogan'inbo I site is home to the famou...
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Akita
Inari ŌkamiAi no Katsura Love Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Akita, dedicated to the goddess of love and...
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Akita
Shichizaigan no Okami新処神明社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of prosperity and g...
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Akita
InariDeep井 Eight-Haijinsha is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the deity of ric...
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Akita
SangetsujiiLocated in Akita Prefecture,山三吉神社 (Sangetsujii Shrine) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deit...
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Akita
Located in the heart of Akita, the Construction Shrine (Tōchi-jinja) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Akita
Inari OkamiTadavura Shrine, located in the mountains of Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the k...
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Akita
HachimanLocated in the heart of Akita, the Eightfold Temple Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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