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
Inyaku Shrine
Kumamoto
Tamayori-himeA Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Tamayori-hime, known for prayers related...
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Iwafune Shrine
Kumamoto
Iwafune no KamiIwafune Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Iwafune no Kami, a deity...
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Izumi Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, known for its peaceful approach pathway (sando) that...
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Jugosha Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture whose name literally means 'Fifteen Companies Shrine,' indica...
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Jugosha Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture whose name literally means 'Fifteen Shrines Shrine,' indicati...
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Kaishu Kato Shrine
Kumamoto
Kato KiyomasaA Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Kato Kiyomasa, the renowned daimyo and military...
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Kaminandahara Kumano Shrine
Kumamoto
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA local Kumano shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture that enshrines the deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the th...
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Kannon Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion w...
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Kashima Tenmangu Shrine
Kumamoto
Sugawara no MichizaneKashima Tenmangu is a Tenjin shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the d...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kumamoto
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesA Kasuga shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the traditional Kasuga deities. Like other Kasug...
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Kasuga Shrine
Kumamoto
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the Kasuga deities. Like other...
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Kato Shrine
Kumamoto
Kato KiyomasaKato Shrine is dedicated to Kato Kiyomasa, the renowned daimyo who built Kumamoto Castle and ruled t...
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Kawahara Daijingu Shrine
Kumamoto
Amaterasu OmikamiKawahara Daijingu is an Imperial shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the s...
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Kengun Shrine
Kumamoto
Emperor Ojin, Empress Jingu, Emperor NintokuKengun Shrine is a prominent Hachiman shrine located in Kumamoto City, dedicated to Emperor Ojin and...
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Kitaoka Shrine
Kumamoto
Hondawake no Mikoto (Emperor Ojin)Kitaoka Shrine is a historic Hachiman shrine located in Kumamoto, serving as one of the important sp...
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Koinoki Shrine
Kumamoto
Koi no Mikoto (deity of love)A unique shrine dedicated to love and romantic relationships, known throughout Japan for its powerfu...
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Komenotsu Tenmangu Shrine
Kumamoto
Sugawara no MichizaneKomenotsu Tenmangu is a Tenjin shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the...
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Konpira-gu
Kumamoto
Ōmono-nushi-no-kamiA Konpira shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the protection of seafarers and safe voyages. L...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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