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
Ashigami-san Shrine
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Deity of feet and legsA folk shrine dedicated to the protection and healing of feet and legs, reflecting the practical spi...
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Chijin Tower
Kanagawa
Earth deitiesA traditional earth deity monument that serves as a focal point for agricultural and land-related pr...
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Chijin Tower
Kanagawa
Earth deities and local land spiritsA traditional earth deity tower (chijintou) representing folk Shinto practices focused on agricultur...
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Dosojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Dosojin (boundary guardian deities)A roadside shrine dedicated to Dosojin, protective folk deities traditionally placed at village boun...
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Dosojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Dosojin (Road and boundary protective deities)A roadside shrine dedicated to Dosojin, protective deities of travelers, boundaries, and communities...
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Dosojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Dosojin (road and boundary protective deities)A roadside shrine dedicated to Dosojin, protective folk deities commonly found throughout Japan that...
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Dosojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Dosojin (boundary and travel protection deities)A roadside shrine dedicated to Dosojin, protective folk deities that guard travelers, village bounda...
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Gorei Shrine
Kanagawa
Five spirits or deitiesGorei Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to five spiritual entities. T...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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