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
Seima Awashima Shrine
Fukushima
Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto and Awashima-no-KamiA shrine dedicated to Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto and Awashima-no-Kami, deities associated with healing,...
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Seimei Shrine
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Abe no SeimeiA Shinto shrine in Kyoto dedicated to the legendary court astrologer and onmyoji Abe no Seimei. The...
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Seimei Shrine
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Abe no SeimeiA shrine in Kyoto dedicated to Abe no Seimei, the legendary Heian period onmyoji (court astronomer a...
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Seirei Shrine
Kanagawa
Ryujin, Shimenawa, FūjinLocated in the coastal town of Odawara, Seirei Shrine is dedicated to the deity of the sea and storm...
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Seiryu Benzaiten
Kanagawa
Seiryu Benzaiten Shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto goddess Benzaiten, who is...
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Seiryū Shrine
Tochigi
SeiryūSeiryu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, famous for its im...
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Seiryu Shrine
Tochigi
RyujinSeiryu Shrine, located in Tochigi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the dragon god Ryujin....
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Seisho Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the kami of rice, prosperity, and business succ...
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Seitaka Inari Shrine
Wakayama
Inari OkamiSeitaka Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to the Shinto deity of...
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Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan
Kyoto
Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, dedicated to the worship of the divine lig...
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Seki Shrine
Kanagawa
A local Shinto shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, serving as a community spiritual center for re...
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Seki Shrine
Kanagawa
A local Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding communi...
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Seki Shrine
Kanagawa
A local Shinto shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding...
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Seki-jinja Shrine (Hair Mound)
Ibaraki
Inari OkamiSeki-jinja Shrine, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is dedicated to the enshrined deity Inari Okami, p...
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Sekinan Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deitySekinan Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving as a community spiritua...
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Sekison Daigongen Shrine
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Stone deity associated with mountain worshipA shrine dedicated to Sekison Daigongen, a stone deity revered in Japanese mountain worship traditio...
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Sekiyama Shrine Inner Sanctuary
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An inner sanctuary (oku-no-in) of Sekiyama Shrine, representing the most sacred and secluded worship...
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Semba Atago Shrine
Gunma
Atago MyojinLocated in the scenic town of Kawachi, Semba Atago Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity...
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Semba Toshogu
Gunma
RaijinSemba Toshogu Shrine, located in the town of Kusatsu Minakami in Gunma Prefecture, is a Shinto shrin...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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