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
Ozuki Shrine
Yamaguchi
A local Shinto shrine located in the Ozuki area of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The shrine ser...
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Ryuo Shrine
Yamaguchi
Ryujin (Dragon King deity)A Shinto shrine dedicated to Ryujin, the dragon king deity associated with water, rain, and sea. Dra...
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Saba Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor OjinSaba Shrine is a historic Hachiman shrine located in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The shrine is dedic...
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Sakurada Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Sakurada Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin and assoc...
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Sakurada Shrine
Yamaguchi
A Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, named after the cherry blossoms (sakura) that likel...
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Shiragata Otoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Otoshi-no-kamiA Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Otoshi-no-kami, the deity of harvests and agric...
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Shohachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the worship of Hachiman, the Shinto deity of...
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Sosha Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman (God of War and Divine Protection)Sosha Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin....
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Suehiro Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiSuehiro Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Inar...
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Suga Shrine
Yamaguchi
Susanoo-no-MikotoSuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god...
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Sugawara Shrine
Yamaguchi
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and...
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Sugiyama Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiSugiyama Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Ina...
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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
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
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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Suo Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hondawake no Mikoto)Suo Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, serving as an important regi...
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Takamizu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Water deitiesTakamizu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to water deities. The name 'Tak...
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Takō Shrine
Yamaguchi
Agricultural deitiesTakō Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to agricultural deities. The...
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Tamanooya Shrine
Yamaguchi
Tamanooya-no-MikotoA historic Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Tamanooya-no-Mikoto, the ancestral dei...
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Tenmangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenmangu shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar an...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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