Japanese Shrine Directory (神社データベース)

What is a shrine?

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.

Using this directory

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

今熊野神社

Miyagi

Today, the beautiful and historic Imari-jinja Shrine in Nagasaki Prefecture is one of Japan's most f...

View shrine →

Yakumo Shrine 八雲神社

Miyagi

Located in the coastal city of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Yakumo Shrine is dedicated to the kami...

View shrine →
Hachiman

Iinokawa Kamegamori Hachiman Shrine

Miyagi

Hachiman

Iinokawa Kamegamori Hachiman Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of war and patron god...

View shrine →

貴船神社

Miyagi

Located in the city of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, 貴船神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the ka...

View shrine →

薬王寺神社

Miyagi

Mikado Mikasa

藥王寺神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, known for its histor...

View shrine →

飯坂湯殿山神社

Miyagi

null

Located in the northern prefecture of Miyagi, 飯坂湯殿山神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the dei...

View shrine →

薬師神社

Miyagi

Katsuragi-no-kami

Located in the city of Sendai, Japan's second-largest city, Katsuragishinsha Shrine is dedicated to...

View shrine →

飯坂八幡神社

Miyagi

Hachiman Ōkami

Futsu-saka Hachiman-gū is a Shinto shrine located in Futsu-saka, Miyagi Prefecture. The shrine is de...

View shrine →

愛宕神社

Miyagi

Amaterasu

愛宕神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture's largest city. The sh...

View shrine →

西根神社

Miyagi

Amaterasu-ō-no-mikoto

Located in the town of Shinko, Miyagi Prefecture, West Shrine is one of Japan's oldest shrines, dati...

View shrine →

稲荷神社

Miyagi

Inari

Located in the scenic city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, the Inari Shrine is one of Japan's most fam...

View shrine →

愛宕神社

Miyagi

Ō no Tsukiyomi-gami

愛宛神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Sendai, the largest city in Miyagi Prefecture. D...

View shrine →

蛇神様

Miyagi

Tsune no Kami

Snakes are revered in Shintoism, particularly the 'tsunetsuki' spirit believed to inhabit snakes and...

View shrine →

化女沼龍神

Miyagi

Ryujin

The shrine, dedicated to Ryujin, the Dragon God of the Sea, is located in the scenic Kesennuma area...

View shrine →

雷神社

仙台市, 宮城県

null

Rayashinsha, located in Senda, Aomori Prefecture was believed to have originated from a deity who re...

View shrine →

三宝荒神

仙台市, 宮城県

Located in the heart of Saitama City, but due to a geographical error on my part I will refer to it...

View shrine →

甚光大明神

仙台市, 宮城県

Raijin

Located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, the Shinto shrine of Sei-ga-meine Shrine honors the god of thu...

View shrine →

鹿嶋神社

Miyagi

Amaterasu-omikami

Located in the heart of Sendai City, Kamaisha Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the go...

View shrine →

八坂神社

Miyagi

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Located in the heart of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Eighteen Stairs Shrine is one of Japan's oldest a...

View shrine →

熊野神社

Miyagi

Hiryu

Narita-san, the Shinto deity enshrined at Kesennuma's Hiryu Shrine, is revered by the people of Kese...

View shrine →

山神社

Miyagi

Mutsu-no-O no Kami

The Mutsu-no-Mikoto Shrine, located in Miyagi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deitie...

View shrine →

鹿島神社

Miyagi

Amaterasu

Located in the town of Matsushima, on the southern tip of the Oshika Peninsula, Kagishima Shrine is...

View shrine →

鹿島神社

Miyagi

Inari

Kamaishi-jinja Shrine, located in the city of Kamaishi in Miyagi Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shi...

View shrine →

熊野神社

Miyagi

Ōtohime

Located in the Tohoku region of Japan, 熊野神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the goddess Ōtohime...

View shrine →

Browse shrines by prefecture

Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.

Japanese Culture Network

Japanese Wood Joints

Ancient joinery techniques of Japanese master craftsmen

ShrinePuzzle

Directory of Japanese board games and traditional games

Kohibou

Japanese coffee culture — kissaten, third wave and brewing guides

E2Japan

Explore Japan's landmarks, shrines and hidden locations

The 725 Club

SNES and Super Famicom collection tracker

Spaceship Adventures

Hoshi no Isan — a Japanese-aesthetic space RPG in development

Uptown Zero

Pixel art life sim MMO — start at zero, build your life

Book Fairy Tales

AI-powered educational stories for kids

CSSKitsune

Japanese-aesthetic design tokens & AI-ready UI prompts

Shinto Wisdom app icon
Free App · No Ads · Offline

Shinto Wisdom Daily Practice

by 10k Game Studio

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.

結び Musubi 清め Harae 自然 Shizen 間 Ma 誠 Makoto + 45 more
Get it on Google Play