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
Higashida Ontake Shrine
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Ontake OkamiA local Ontake shrine dedicated to the mountain deity worship tradition, part of the broader Ontake...
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Morowa Ontake Shrine
Gifu
Ontake-no-OkamiMorowa Ontake Shrine is a mountain shrine dedicated to the deity of Mount Ontake, one of Japan's mos...
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Ontake Daijin Shrine
Kanagawa
Ontake no MikotoA shrine dedicated to the mountain deity Ontake no Mikoto, part of the Ontake mountain worship tradi...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Okuninushi-no-Mikoto and mountain kamiOntake Shrine is dedicated to mountain worship and spiritual purification, following the Ontake moun...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Ontake-no-KamiOntake Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sacred mountain deity Ontake-no-Kami. As part of t...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Okuninushi and mountain kamiOntake Shrine is a mountain shrine dedicated to the worship of Mount Ontake's sacred spirit and asso...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Ontake no OkamiOntake Shrine is dedicated to the deities of Mount Ontake, one of Japan's most sacred mountains. The...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Ōnamuchi-no-MikotoOntake Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the worship of mountain deities...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Ontake-no-OkamiOntake Shrine is dedicated to the mountain deity Ontake-no-Okami, representing the spiritual essence...
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Ontake Shrine
Kanagawa
Ontake no OkamiOntake Shrine is dedicated to the worship of Mount Ontake and its associated deities, representing t...
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Ontake Shrine
Kochi
Ontake-no-MikotoOntake Shrine is dedicated to the mountain deity Ontake-no-Mikoto and represents the Ontake sect of...
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Ontake Shrine
Oita
Okuninushi-no-MikotoOntake Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Oita Prefecture dedicated to mountain worship and spiritual puri...
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Ontake Shrine
Gifu
Ontake no KamiOntake Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship of Mount Ontake, one of Japan's sacred mou...
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Ontake Shrine
Gifu
Ontake no KamiOntake Shrine is dedicated to the worship of Mount Ontake, one of Japan's sacred mountains. The shri...
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Ontake Shrine
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Ontake no MikotoOntake Shrine is dedicated to the worship of Mount Ontake, one of Japan's sacred mountains. These sh...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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