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
Motosumiyoshi Shrine
Osaka
Kumano OkamiLocated in the heart of Osaka, Motosumiyoshi Shrine is a revered Shinto temple dedicated to the deit...
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Motoyama Hakusan Shrine
Nagano
Located in the Japanese Alps of Nagano Prefecture, Motoyama Hakusan Shrine is dedicated to the godde...
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Mount Aso Summit Shrine
Kumamoto
Volcanic deities of Mount AsoA shrine located on the summit of Mount Aso, one of Japan's most active volcanic regions in Kumamoto...
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Mozu Hachiman Shrine
Osaka
HachimanMozu Hachiman Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Mozu, Osaka Prefecture. Dedicated to...
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Mt. Haguro Shrine
Tochigi
InariMt. Haguro Shrine, located in the Tochigiken prefecture, is dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto dei...
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Mukairyo Shrine
Kagawa
nullMukairyo Shrine, located in the city of Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine that has st...
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Munakata Gokoku Shrine
Fukuoka
Inazuma OkamiLocated in the city of Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Munakata Gokoku Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedic...
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Munakata Grand shrine Nakatsu-gū honden
Fukuoka
Ōkamisanzen no Kamado, Susanoo, AmaterasuLocated in the city of Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Munakata Grand Shrine Nakatsu-gū honden is a hi...
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Munakata jinja shrine
Niigata
Shiroi-tsumiLocated in the city of Munakata, Niigata Prefecture, this shrine is dedicated to the worship of the...
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Munakata Shrine
Shiga
nullMunakata Shrine, located in Shiga Prefecture, is a sacred site dedicated to the kami of the Munakata...
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Munakata Shrine
Kyoto
Munakata-tsurugi-no-kamiLocated in the heart of Kyoto, Munakata Shrine is a serene Shinto sanctuary dedicated to the deity M...
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Munakata Shrine
Gifu
Munakata Sanjojin (Three Goddesses of Munakata)A branch shrine of the famous Munakata Taisha in Fukuoka, dedicated to the three sea goddesses who p...
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Munakata Shrine
Gifu
Munakata Sanjojin (Three Munakata Goddesses)A Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three Munakata goddesses, who are revered as pro...
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Munakata Taisha Okitsumiya
Nagasaki
Inari Ōno-miyatsuko, Inari Dazaifu-no-kamiLocated in the heart of Munakata, a coastal town in Nagasaki Prefecture, Okitsumiya is one of Japan'...
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Murakami Mikuriya Shrine
Nagano
Mikuriya OkuninushiLocated in the town of Murakami, Nagano Prefecture, Murakami Mikuriya Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedi...
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Muramoriinari Shrine
大田区, 東京都
Inari OkamiMuramoriinari Shrine, located in the heart of Big Wood Area, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari O...
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Murao Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiMurao Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami,...
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Murasha Shinmei Shrine
Fukushima
Amaterasu OmikamiA Shinmei shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and princip...
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Muratomi Shrine
相模原市, 神奈川県
Muratotsukuni no okamiMuratomi Shrine, located in Kanagawa Prefecture's Kamakura city, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...
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Murayama Sengen Shrine
Yamanashi
SengenMurayama Sengen Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the mountains of Yamanashi Prefecture, dedicate...
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Muro Mitama Shrine
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Ancestral spirits and protective deitiesA local Shinto shrine dedicated to ancestral spirits and protective deities of the community. Like m...
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Muroyosui Shrine
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Water deity associated with irrigationA local shrine dedicated to water deities, likely established to honor and ensure the protection of...
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Musashi Mitake Shrine
Saitama
Musashi no OkamiLocated in the heart of Saitama Prefecture, Musashi Mitake Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to th...
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Musashino Hachimangu
Saitama
Hachiman OkamiLocated in the heart of Saitama Prefecture, Musashino Hachimangu Shrine is a revered Shinto site ded...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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