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
Goto Inari shrine
Chiba
Inari OkamiGoto Inari Shrine, located in the town of Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture, is one of Japan's most well-kn...
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Gozu Tenno Shrine
Kochi
Gozu Tenno (Susanoo-no-Mikoto)A shrine dedicated to Gozu Tenno, a syncretic deity combining Buddhist and Shinto elements who becam...
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Gozu Tenno Shrine
Kochi
Gozu Tenno (protector against disease and pestilence)A Shinto shrine dedicated to Gozu Tenno, a syncretic deity combining Buddhist and Shinto elements wh...
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Gozu Tenno Shrine
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Gozu Tenno (Susanoo-no-Mikoto)A Shinto shrine dedicated to Gozu Tenno, a syncretic deity combining Buddhist and Shinto elements wh...
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Gozu Tenno Shrine
Hiroshima
Gozu Tenno (protector against disease and disaster)A shrine dedicated to Gozu Tenno, a powerful protective deity associated with warding off epidemics,...
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Gozuteno Shrine
Okayama
InariGozuteno Shrine, located in the city of Okayama, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity known as...
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Gozuteno Shrine
Okayama
Susuwatari (Cattle God)Gozuteno Shrine, located in Okayama Prefecture, is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship...
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Great Goddess of Mercy
Shiga
Okuninushi, OtohimeLocated in the city of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture, the Gold Light Shrine is dedicated to the worship...
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Green Heim Arakawa
Ibaraki
Inari OkamiLocated in the scenic prefecture of Ibaraki, Green Heim Arakawa Shrine honors the god Inari Okami, r...
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Guardian Shrine
Nara
A local guardian shrine (chinjusha) that serves as a protective spiritual center for its community....
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Gunzu Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves as a local spiritual center for the surround...
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Gyokuho Inari Sonten
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Inari OkamiGyokuho Inari Sonten is an Inari shrine dedicated to the fox deity Inari Okami, who is revered as a...
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Hachi-man Shrine
東伊豆町, 静岡県
HachimanLocated in the scenic town of East Izu, Hachiman Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the go...
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Hachidai Ryu Shrine
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Eight Great Dragon KingsA Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship of the Hachidai Ryu (Eight Great Dragon Kings), powerful dr...
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Hachidai Ryu Shrine
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Eight Great Dragon KingsA Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship of the Eight Great Dragon Kings (Hachidai Ryu-o), powerful...
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Hachidai Ryūkyō Jinko-jinja Shrine Hakodate
函館市, 北海道
Ryūkyō no KamiLocated in Hakodate, northern Japan's main city on the northern island of Hokkaido, Hachidai Ryūkyō...
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Hachidai Shrine
Shiga
Hachiman OkamiHachidai Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Shiga Prefecture, dedicated to the primary deity Hachi...
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Hachikan-jinja Shrine
Chiba
HachimanLocated in the city of Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, Hachikan-jinja Shrine is dedicated to the god of...
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Hachiken Shrine
Gifu
Hachiman-shin (deity of war and archery)Hachiken Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Hachiman, the deity of war,...
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Hachiken Shrine
Gifu
Hachiman-jin (deity of war and divine protection)Hachiken Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the war deity Hachiman....
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Hachiken Shrine
Gifu
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionHachiken Shrine is a Hachiman shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the warrior deity Hachiman. The...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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