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
Gappoinari Shrine
Aomori
InariGappoinari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Kurokawa, Aomori Prefecture. The shrine...
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Gassan Jinja Hongu
Yamagata
Gassan OkamiGassan Jinja Hongu, located in the heart of Yamagata Prefecture, is a revered Shinto shrine dedicate...
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Gassan Shrine
Kochi
Mountain deity of GassanA Shinto shrine dedicated to the mountain deity of Gassan, representing the spiritual significance o...
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Gassanhachimangu
Niigata
HachimanGassanhachimangu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Higashi-Murakami, Niigata Prefectu...
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Geba Shrine
Kumamoto
A local Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture whose name literally means 'dismounting shrine,' likely...
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Geku (Outer Shrine)
Kanagawa
Toyouke-no-OmikamiThe Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine, dedicated to Toyouke-no-Omikami, the deity of agriculture, ind...
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Genkuro Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiA historic Inari shrine in Nara associated with Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his loyal retainer Sato T...
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Gifu Gokoku Shrine
Ishikawa
Gofuku TenjinLocated in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Gifu Gokoku Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicate...
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Ginza Inari Shrine
中央区, 東京都
InariGinza Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Tokyo's financial district, known as G...
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Chiba
Inari OkamiLocated in the prefecture of Chiba, Ginza Komatsu Miwa Jinja is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the dei...
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Gion Shrine
Kumamoto
Susanoo-no-MikotoGion Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amateras...
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Gion Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoGion Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and...
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Gion Shrine
Yamaguchi
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Gion shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, part of the network of shrines associated with Yasaka...
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Gion-sha Yasaka Shrine
Nara
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Yasaka shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, following the Gion tradition of worship that origina...
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Goaza Shrine
Kyoto
Located in the heart of Kyoto, the Five-Character Shrine is a historic Shinto site that dates back t...
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Gogu-Hakusan Jinja Shrine
白山市, 石川県
HachimanLocated in the heart of Kakuma Onsen, a natural hot spring resort town in Ishikawa Prefecture, Gogu-...
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Gohōzan Kumano Shrine
Ibaraki
Susanoo-no-MikotoLocated in the heart of Ibaraki Prefecture, Gohōzan Kumano Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to th...
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Gojo Tenjinsha Shrine
Ibaraki
TenjiGojo Tenjinsha Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Minamiibaraki, Ibaraki Prefecture. T...
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Gojogu Shrine
Osaka
Futsunomi no OkamiLocated in the heart of Osaka, Gojogu Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the deified spiri...
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Gojoyama Tenmangu Shrine
Nara
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenmangu shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and pol...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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