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
Iwate
TsukuyomiLocated in the scenic town of Ichikawa, Iwate Prefecture, 初恋神社 is a charming Shinto shrine dedic...
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Iwate
HachimanThe Hachiman-ji Shrine, dedicated to the Shinto god of war and messenger, is a historic site located...
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Iwate
Hachiman TenjinLocated in Iwate Prefecture, 鬼死骸八幡神社 is a lesser-known Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of...
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Iwate
Tawara no MaroTawaragahara Shrine, located in Mutsu city, Iwate Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity of fo...
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Iwate
Mochizuki no OhoyoLocated in Iwate Prefecture,諏訪神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same name. The...
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Iwate
Matsuyama Shrine, located in the city of Matsue, Iwate Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest Shinto s...
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Iwate
Black Rock Shrine, located in the scenic coastal town of Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture, is dedicated...
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Iwate
BishamonLocated in the city of Hiraizumi, Miyagi Prefecture, but often mistakenly attributed to Iwate due to...
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Iwate
RyujinLocated in the Iwate Prefecture, Eight Clouds Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of sto...
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Iwate
RyujinLocated in Iwate Prefecture, the San no Sento Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the deities of...
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Iwate
Shikine-no-Ma no KamiLocated in the picturesque town of Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, the Tamagami Shrine is dedicated to t...
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Iwate
Hokuto-san (Great Bear)Hokuto-san, the Great Bear deity, is enshrined at the Kojima Shrine in Iwate Prefecture. The shrine...
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Iwate
SusanooNorth North Shrine, located in the town of Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture, is a historic Shinto shrin...
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Iwate
ŌkuninushiNewman Shrine, located in Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of mount...
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Iwate
Early Pool Peak Shrine, located in the town of Ichinoseki in Iwate Prefecture, is dedicated to the S...
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Iwate
Oshigeto-hikoboshiMatsushima-yama 駒形神社, located in Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the lo...
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Iwate
HachimanLongen-seiji, located in the mountains of Iwate Prefecture, is a lesser-known Shinto shrine dedicate...
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Iwate
High Priestess Matsushima, Eight-Fold God MatsushimaMatsushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture. The shrine was built to...
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Iwate
Located in the scenic town of Hanawa, Iwate Prefecture, Mizukōka Kōgōjinsha is a small Shinto shrin...
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Iwate
KuromoriLocated in Iwate Prefecture, 卯子酉神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of rice and fertil...
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Iwate
Ōfukuinō OkamiConstant Temple, located in the city of Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture, is a historic Shinto shrine de...
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Iwate
Ryujin厳Dragon Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, renowned for its well-pre...
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Iwate
nullCaoyo-ji, a Shinto shrine in Iwate Prefecture, is dedicated to the kami of rice and agriculture. The...
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Iwate
OtohimeLocated in the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan, Plane Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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