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
Isakawa Shrine
Nara
Isakawa-hime-no-mikoto, Tamayori-hime-no-mikoto, Susanoo-no-mikotoOne of Japan's oldest shrines, located in Nara and closely associated with Kasuga Taisha. Known as a...
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Kasuga Shrine
Gifu
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the same deities as the famous Kasu...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Kasuga deitiesA Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga kami, part of the widespread network of K...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine in Nara is dedicated to the Kasuga deities who serve as protective kami of the Fujiwar...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Kasuga deitiesA Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga kami. While sharing the name with the fam...
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Kasuga Shrine
Yamaguchi
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoA Kasuga shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the same deities as the famous Kasuga Taisha in...
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Kasuga Shrine
Yamaguchi
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and associated Kasuga deitiesA Kasuga shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the four principal deities of the Kasuga tradit...
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Kasuga Shrine
Wakayama
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoA Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga deities, following the tradition esta...
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Kasuga Shrine
Gifu
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesA local Kasuga shrine in Gifu Prefecture, part of the network of shrines dedicated to the Kasuga dei...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kanagawa
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga deities. Like other...
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Kasuga Shrine
Gifu
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoA local Kasuga shrine in Gifu Prefecture, part of the network of shrines associated with the famous...
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Kasuga Shrine
Fukushima
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesA Kasuga shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to the same deities as the famous Kasuga Taisha in...
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Kasuga Shrine
Fukushima
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesA local Kasuga shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to the same deities as the famous Kasuga Tai...
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Kasuga Shrine
Fukushima
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine in Fukushima Prefecture is dedicated to the Kasuga deities, following the tradition es...
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Kasuga Shrine
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Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine is one of many shrines throughout Japan dedicated to the Kasuga deities, following the...
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Kasuga Shrine
—
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine is one of many shrines throughout Japan dedicated to the Kasuga deities, following the...
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Kasuga Shrine
—
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Kasuga deities, particularly associated with the p...
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Kasuga Shrine
—
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine is one of many shrines throughout Japan dedicated to the Kasuga deities, following the...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine in Nara is one of Japan's most significant Shinto shrines, famous for its thousands of...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kanagawa
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga deities. Like other...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kochi
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga deities. Like other Kas...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kochi
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesA Kasuga shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the traditional Kasuga deities. Like other Kasuga s...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kochi
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is a local branch of the famous Kasuga Taisha system, dedicated to...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kumamoto
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga deities. Like other...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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