Japanese Shrine Directory (神社データベース)

What is a shrine?

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.

Using this directory

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.

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30,440 shrines found

雷神社

Akita

Raijin-sa is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Raijin, the god of thunder, located in Akita Prefecture. T...

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水神社

Akita

Ryujin

Located in the city of Akita, Water God Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of water and fertility...

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八幡神社

Akita

Hachiman

Located in the scenic city of Akita, Akita Eight-Horsemans Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated...

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馬頭観音堂

Akita

Inari

Maru no Atsuki Dō is a Shinto shrine in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of rice and fertilit...

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八幡田神生祠碑

Akita

Hachiman

The Eight-Horned Temple Shrine, also known as Tadahisa Shrine or Matsunoyu Shrine in Akita Prefectur...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inari

Indra's Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, dating back to...

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加茂神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the scenic town of Yurihara, Yamagata Prefecture is not the location, but rather Akita Pr...

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諏訪神社

Akita

Susanoo

Temple of the god who governs the weather and fertility, located in the mountains of Akita Prefectur...

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八幡神社

Akita

Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Benzaiten

Located in Akita Prefecture, Eight-Horsemeshrine is a prominent Shinto site dedicated to the worship...

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龍神神社

Akita

Ryūjin

Located in the city of Akita, Dragon God Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Ryūjin, the dragon g...

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権現堂

Akita

Ōdōin

Authority Hall Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Akita, dedicated to the deity Ōdōin, revered as...

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金刀毘羅神社

Akita

Kinjōdaibutsu-jinja is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Aomori, but was originally from Akita...

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浮島神社

Akita

Yukai

Located in the Akita Prefecture,浮島神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sea goddess Yūkai. The...

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太平山神社

Akita

Yamabiko

Located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Taipei Mountain Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicat...

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愛宕神社

Akita

Himemiko

Aidate Jinja, located in Akita Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines....

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上檜木内神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Akita, Shinko-in Shrine is a historic Shinto temple dedicated to Inari Okami,...

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山神社

Akita

Tsukuyomi

Tsuru Mountain Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto temple dedicated to the kami of Moun...

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田中稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

田中稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Akita City, dedicated to Inari Okami, the pa...

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稲倉神社

Akita

Inari

Located in the scenic Akita Prefecture, 稲倉神社 is a humble yet historic Shinto shrine dedicated to...

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神明社

Akita

null

Located in the heart of Akita, Godai Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami, and is renowne...

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馬頭神社

Akita

Marado no kami

Located in the Akita Prefecture, Marado no Kami-sha Shrine is a historic Shinto site dedicated to Ma...

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龍神社

Akita

Ryūjin

Ryūjinsha, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the dragon deity Ryūjin. Thi...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

The Dewa Sanzan's sacred site, the Iwai稲荷神社 is a revered Shinto shrine in Akita Prefecture dedic...

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松緑神道大和山 新屋支部

Akita

Matsuo-Okami

Located in the scenic Akita Prefecture, Matsuo no Okami Shrine is a lesser-known Shinto site dedicat...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.

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