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
Eda Sumiyoshi Shrine
Miyazaki
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Miyazaki Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, who are revered...
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Iseki Sumiyoshi Shrine
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Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A local Sumiyoshi shrine dedicated to the three sea deities known as Sumiyoshi Sanjin. These kami ar...
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Sumiyoshi Daimyojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi kami)A Sumiyoshi shrine dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi kami, powerful Shinto deities associated with se...
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Sumiyoshi Daimyojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea gods)A Sumiyoshi shrine dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, who are revered as protectors of seafar...
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Sumiyoshi Daimyojin Shrine
Kagoshima
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, who are revered...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi sea deities. Part of the...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
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Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three kami of the sea)Sumiyoshi Shrine is dedicated to the Sumiyoshi Sanjin, three powerful sea deities who are among Japa...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
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Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)Sumiyoshi Shrine is dedicated to the Sumiyoshi Sanjin, three powerful sea deities who protect sailor...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
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Sumiyoshi Sanjin - three sea deities of safe voyage and purificationSumiyoshi shrines are dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, powerful kami of the sea who protect...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Fukushima
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, traditionally r...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Kagoshima
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities who are revered...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three sea deities known as Sumiyoshi Sanjin....
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, traditionally revere...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, traditionally associ...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine dedicated to the three sea deities known collectively as Sumiyoshi Sanjin. These...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi sea deities who protect...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Kanagawa
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine dedicated to the three sea deities known as Sumiyoshi Sanjin, who are revered as...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, who are revered...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Nara
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, traditionally revere...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Nara
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three Sumiyoshi deities)A subsidiary shrine (massha) dedicated to the Sumiyoshi deities, the three kami of the sea who are r...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Kumamoto
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, ancient kami of...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Kochi
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi sea deities. These shrines t...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Kochi
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (Three Sumiyoshi Kami)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi kami, ancient Shinto deities...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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