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
Susanoo Shrine (Akumi Shrine)
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amaterasu in Japanese m...
View shrine →Suwa Daimyojin
喬木村, 長野県
Suwa DaimyojinSuwa Daimyojin Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Joyakum, Nagano Prefecture, dedicate...
View shrine →Suwa Grand Shrine
Kanagawa
Takeminakata-no-MikotoA Suwa shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Takeminakata-no-Mikoto, the principal deity of the...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
Nagano
SusanooSuwa Jinja, located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami o...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
Nagano
Suwa no OkamiSuwa Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, dedicated to the god of...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
Miyagi
Suwa Jinja, located in the Miyagi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same n...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
栗原市, 宮城県
Suwa-no-kamayakiSuwa Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in Hiyama-cho, Aobai-machi, Sakuragaoka-cho, Mikage-cho, Kita-...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
Miyagi
SuwaSuwa Jinja, located in the Miyagi prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of childbirth...
View shrine →Suwa jinja
Tokushima
Suwa no OkamiSuwa Jinja, located in the heart of Tokushima Prefecture, is one of Japan's most revered Shinto shri...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
Nagano
Sugawara-no-MikotoSuwa Jinja, located in the Nagano prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of water and...
View shrine →Suwa Jinja
Shizuoka
Amaterasu-OkamiLocated in the Japanese prefecture of Shizuoka, Suwa Jinja Shrine is dedicated to the kami Amaterasu...
View shrine →Suwa Nanpo Shrine
Kagoshima
Takeminakata-no-kamiA Suwa shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture that enshrines the deities of the main Suwa Taisha network. Li...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
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Takeminakata-no-mikotoSuwa Shrine is dedicated to Takeminakata-no-mikoto, a powerful kami associated with wind, water, and...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
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Takeminakata-no-kamiSuwa Shrine is part of the extensive network of shrines dedicated to the Suwa deities, with the head...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Fukushima
Takeminakata-no-MikotoSuwa Shrine in Fukushima Prefecture is a local branch of the Suwa faith, which originated from the f...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Fukushima
Takeminakata-no-KamiA Suwa shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to Takeminakata-no-Kami, the deity of wind, water, a...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Fukushima
Takeminakata-no-MikotoA Suwa shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to the warrior deity Takeminakata-no-Mikoto. Suwa sh...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Fukushima
Takeminakata-no-KamiA Suwa shrine in Fukushima Prefecture dedicated to Takeminakata-no-Kami, the Shinto deity of wind, w...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Kagoshima
Takeminakata-no-kamiA Suwa shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to the warrior deity Takeminakata-no-kami. Suwa shri...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Kanagawa
Takeminakata-no-KamiSuwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Takeminakata-no-Kami, a powerful deity associated with w...
View shrine →Suwa Shrine
Kanagawa
Takeminakata-no-MikotoSuwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Takeminakata-no-Mikoto, the deity of wind, water, and ag...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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