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
Koreizan Shrine
Tochigi
Located in the town of Kinoshita, Tochigi Prefecture, Koreizan Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated t...
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Koriyama Hachiman Shrine
Kumamoto
Hachiman (god of war and divine protection)Koriyama Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, dedicated to the deifi...
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Koriyama Hachiman Shrine
Nara
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Koriyama Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Nara Prefecture, dedicated to the deified E...
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Koroku Shrine
Ibaraki
nullLocated in the city of Sakurako, Ibaraki Prefecture, Koroku Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to t...
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Kosaba Wakinari Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associat...
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Kosanrei shrine
Ibaraki
KosanreiKosanrei Shrine, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is dedicated to the god of agriculture and fertility...
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Koshikiiwa Shrine
西宮市, 兵庫県
OkamiKoshikiiwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, and is dedicated to t...
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Koshimizu Shurine
Hokkaido
Inari OkamiLocated in the scenic town of Otaru, Hokkaido's largest city, Koshimizu Shrine is a historic Shinto...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, representing a syncretic religious practice combinin...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A Koshin tower (庚申塔) is a stone monument associated with the folk religious practice of Koshin wo...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, representing a syncretic religious practice that com...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, a syncretic religious practice combining Taoist, Bud...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A Koshin tower, a stone monument traditionally erected as part of folk religious practices combining...
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Koshin-do
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A traditional Koshin-do hall dedicated to the Taoist-Buddhist folk deity Koshin-sama, associated wit...
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Koshio Shrine
Iwate
Hachi no KojinLocated in the town of Hanasaki, Iwate Prefecture, Koshio Shrine is a lesser-known Shinto shrine ded...
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Koshirayama Jinja Shrine
白山市, 石川県
Ame no IwatoLocated in the city of Komazawa, Whitey Mountain Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of m...
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Kosodate Shrine
Ibaraki
nullKosodate Shrine, located in the town of Higashiwari, Ibaraki Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicate...
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Kosuge-jinja Shrine
Ibaraki
OkadaiKosuge-jinja Shrine, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Okadai...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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