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
Oyamazumi Shrine
Hiroshima
Oyamazumi-no-MikotoOyamazumi Shrine is dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the Shinto deity of mountains and sea. This sh...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, deity of mountains and seaOyamazumi Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the powerful Shinto deity...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamazumi-no-kami, deity of mountains and seaA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-kami, the powerful deity of mountains...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, deity of mountains and seaA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the powerful kami of mountains...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
Kagoshima
Oyamazumi-no-kami, deity of mountains and seaA shrine dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-kami, the Shinto deity governing mountains, sea, and warfare. Thi...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
Fukushima
Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, deity of mountains and seaA Shinto shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the powerful kami of mount...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
Fukushima
Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, deity of mountains and seaOyamazumi Shrine is dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the powerful Shinto deity of mountains, sea, a...
View shrine →Oyamazumi Shrine
—
Oyamazumi-no-Kami, deity of mountains and seaOyamazumi Shrine is dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Kami, the Shinto deity of mountains and sea. The most...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
Ancient joinery techniques of Japanese master craftsmen
Directory of Japanese board games and traditional games
Japanese coffee culture — kissaten, third wave and brewing guides
Explore Japan's landmarks, shrines and hidden locations
SNES and Super Famicom collection tracker
Hoshi no Isan — a Japanese-aesthetic space RPG in development
Pixel art life sim MMO — start at zero, build your life
AI-powered educational stories for kids
Japanese-aesthetic design tokens & AI-ready UI prompts
Every day, one teaching. One moment of stillness.
Kanji, meaning, and a quiet reflection — rooted in the philosophy
behind Japan's forests, seasons, and sacred silences.