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
Ukemochi Shrine
Kagoshima
Ukemochi-no-KamiA Shinto shrine dedicated to Ukemochi-no-Kami, the goddess of food and sustenance in Japanese mythol...
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Ushiine-fumoto Inari Shrine
Kagoshima
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine located in the Ushiine area of Kagoshima Prefecture, dedicated to the rice and...
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Utousaka Hayashi Inari Shrine
Kanagawa
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of rice, sake, and prospe...
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Wada Inari Daimyojin Shrine
Kanagawa
Inari OkamiWada Inari Daimyojin is a local Inari shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami, the Sh...
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Wakakusa Inari Shrine
Kochi
Inari OkamiWakakusa Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to the fox deit...
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Yamanaka Inari Shrine
Kanagawa
Inari OkamiYamanaka Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prosp...
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Yanase Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiYanase Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the harvest and prosperi...
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Yojirōgahama Inari Shrine
Kagoshima
Inari ŌkamiA local Inari shrine located in the Yojirōgahama area of Kagoshima Prefecture, dedicated to the Shin...
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Yokomizo Inari Shrine
Kanagawa
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the deity of rice, prosperity, and good for...
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Yotsuya Inari Shrine
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Ukanomitama-no-KamiYotsuya Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine dedicated to the deity of rice, sake, and prosperity. L...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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