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
Higuchi Shrine
Nara
A local Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture that serves the spiritual needs of the surrounding communit...
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Hiranogawa Mikumari Shrine Upper Shrine
Nara
Mikumari-no-kami (water distribution deity)One of the ancient water distribution shrines located in the mountainous regions of Nara Prefecture....
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Hirose Shrine
Nara
Wakaukanome-no-mikotoHirose Shrine is one of Japan's most important water deity shrines, traditionally responsible for pr...
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Ichikishima Shrine
Nara
Ichikishimahime-no-MikotoA shrine dedicated to Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto, one of the three goddess sisters born from the conf...
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Ichiza Shrine
Nara
Local protective deitiesIchiza Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Nara Prefecture, serving as a community religious...
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Ike Shrine
Nara
A Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture whose name relates to ponds or water bodies, reflecting the histo...
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Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prosperity deity Inari Okami. Like...
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Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine dedicated to the deity of rice, prosperity, and good fortune. Inari shrines are...
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Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiAn Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prosperity deity Inari Okami. Like othe...
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Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari Okami, deity of rice, prosperity, and business successAn Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto deity of rice cultivation, a...
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Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the Shinto deity of rice, sake, agriculture, an...
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Isakawa Awa Shrine
Nara
Awa no KamiA subsidiary shrine (sessha) located in Nara, serving as an auxiliary place of worship connected to...
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Isakawa Shrine
Nara
Isakawa-hime-no-mikoto, Tamayori-hime-no-mikoto, Susanoo-no-mikotoOne of Japan's oldest shrines, located in Nara and closely associated with Kasuga Taisha. Known as a...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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