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
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Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretism)Kumano shrines are dedicated to the Kumano Gongen deities and are found throughout Japan as branches...
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Kumano Shrine
Chiba
Located in Chiba Prefecture, Kumano Shrine is a Shinto shrine that honors the Kumano gods, a group o...
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Kumano Shrine
Chiba
Susanoo-no-mikotoLocated in Chiba Prefecture, Kumano Shrine is one of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines dedicated to...
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Kumano Shrine
Kagoshima
Kumano Gongen deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano Gongen deities. Part of the Kumano f...
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Kumano Shrine
Kagoshima
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretic deities)A Kumano shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture, part of the widespread network of shrines affiliated with t...
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Kumano Shrine
Kagoshima
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A Kumano shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines throughout...
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Kumano Shrine
Kagoshima
Kumano Gongen (three deities of Kumano)A Kumano shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines throughout...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional shrine dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines t...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretism)A local Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines found thro...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional shrine dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines...
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Kumano Shrine
Fukushima
Kumano GongenA Kumano shrine in Fukushima Prefecture that enshrines the Kumano deities, part of the widespread ne...
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Kumano Shrine
Fukushima
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to the powerful deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the...
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Kumano Shrine
Fukushima
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Fukushima Prefecture, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines found thro...
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Kumano Shrine
Fukushima
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretism)A Kumano shrine in Fukushima Prefecture, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines throughout...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture that enshrines the three principal deities of the Kumano...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano GongenKumano Shrine is dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the ancient Kumano faith that blends Shint...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Sanzan deitiesKumano Shrine is one of many local shrines dedicated to the powerful Kumano deities, originally from...
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Kumano Shrine
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Kumano Gongen deitiesA Kumano shrine dedicated to the Kumano Gongen, the syncretic deities of the Kumano mountains. Kuman...
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Kumano Shrine
Fukushima
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to the three principal deities of the Kumano Sanza...
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Kumano Shrine
君津市, 千葉県
Kumano okamiLocated in Kinugasa, a district of Katsuura, Kumano Shrine is one of the most famous Shinto shrines...
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Kumano Shrine
君津市, 千葉県
Susanoo no MikotoKumano Shrine, located in Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture, is one of the most revered Shinto shri...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen deitiesA Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano Gongen deities, part of the broader Kuman...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the powerful deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the three...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A branch shrine of the famous Kumano Sanzan in Wakayama Prefecture, this local shrine brings the spi...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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