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
Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretism)A local Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines throug...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture that venerates the powerful deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the three principal deities of the Kumano mounta...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the powerful Kumano deities. Part of the extensi...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the powerful deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the t...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Amaterasu)A Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines throughout J...
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Kumano Shrine
Kochi
Kumano GongenA Kumano shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread network...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture that enshrines the deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the three sa...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano GongenKumano Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the...
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Kumano Shrine
Kochi
Kumano Gongen deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kochi Prefecture that enshrines the three principal Kumano deities. Part of the w...
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Kumano Shrine
Kochi
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A Kumano shrine in Kochi Prefecture that enshrines the deities of the Kumano faith. Like other Kuman...
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Kumano Shrine
Kumamoto
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A Kumano shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread netwo...
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Kumano Shrine
Kumamoto
Kumano Gongen deitiesA Kumano shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines thro...
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Kumano Shrine
Kochi
Kumano GongenA Kumano shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deities of the Kumano mountains. Part of the wi...
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Kumano Shrine
Kumamoto
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines foun...
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Kumano Shrine
Kumamoto
Kumano GongenA Kumano shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread netwo...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine dedicated to the powerful kami of the Kumano mountain region. Kumano shrines are fou...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretized deities)Kumano shrines are found throughout Japan and are dedicated to the Kumano Gongen, a syncretic deity...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Amaterasu)Kumano Shrine is part of the extensive network of shrines affiliated with the famous Kumano Sanzan (...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Sanzan deitiesKumano Shrine is dedicated to the deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the three sacred mountains of Kumano...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Gongen (manifestions of Shinto-Buddhist deities)Kumano Shrine is dedicated to the Kumano deities, representing the syncretic tradition that combines...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Sanzan deitiesKumano Shrine is dedicated to the deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the three sacred mountains of the Ku...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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