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
Suwa Shrine
Kumamoto
Takeminakata-no-kamiSuwa Shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture is dedicated to Takeminakata-no-kami, the deity of wind, water, a...
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Suwa Shrine
Kumamoto
Takeminakata-no-mikotoSuwa Shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture is dedicated to Takeminakata-no-mikoto, the Shinto deity of wind,...
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Suwa Shrine
Kumamoto
Takeminakata-no-mikotoA Suwa shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Takeminakata-no-mikoto, the deity of war, hunting,...
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Suwa Shrine
Kochi
Takeminakata-no-MikotoSuwa Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is a local branch of the Suwa shrine network, dedicated to the warri...
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Suwa Shrine
Kochi
Takeminakata-no-MikotoSuwa Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is a branch shrine of the famous Suwa Taisha in Nagano Prefecture. L...
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Suwa Shrine
Shizuoka
SuwaLocated in the mountains of Shizuoka Prefecture, Suwa Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and most rever...
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Suwa Shrine
Nagano
YatagarasuLocated in the Japanese Alps, Suwa Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines,...
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Suwa Shrine
Nagano
SuwaSuwa Shrine, located in the city of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest shrines a...
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Suwa Shrine
飯田市, 長野県
Amaterasu ŌmikamiSuwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fertility and water, located in the city of...
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Suwa Shrine
藤岡市, 群馬県
Suwa-no-kamisabake-no-mikotoSuwa Shrine, located in Fujokawa City, Gunma Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of...
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Suwa Shrine
Kyoto
Suwagami no OkamiSuwa Shrine, located in Kyoto Prefecture, is one of Japan's most ancient shrines, with a history dat...
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Suwa Shrine
Osaka, Osaka
SuwaSuwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Osaka, dedicated to the kami of the same name. The shrine'...
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Suwa Shrine
Tokyo
SuwaSuwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Odaiba district of Tokyo, dedicated to the kami of the...
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Suwa shrine
Chiba
SuwaSuwa Shrine, located in Chiba Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Kami of the same name....
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Suwa Shrine
Osaka
Suwa OkamiSuwa Shrine, located in Osaka Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, with a history da...
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Suwa Shrine
Saitama
Suwa-no-kamiSuwa Shrine, located in the city of Tokorozawa in Saitama Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated t...
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Suwa Shrine
Saitama
ŌkuninushiSuwa Shrine, located in Saitama Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same nam...
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Suwa Shrine
Ibaraki
Suwa Shrine, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same nam...
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Ibaraki
Susanoo-no-MikotoLocated in the town of Tomobe, Suwa Shrine is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, dedicated to the...
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Suwa Shrine
流山流山市, 千葉県
Suwa no OkamiLocated in the Ibaraki Prefecture, but actually in Chiba prefecture, Suwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine...
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Suwa Shrine
Niigata
SuwaLocated in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, Suwa Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and most revered Sh...
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Suwa Shrine
Ibaraki
SuwaSuwa Shrine, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same nam...
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Suwa Shrine
Miyagi
TsukuyomiSuwa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same name, believed to be the god of agr...
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Suwa Taisha Kamisha Honmiya
Nagano
SusanooLocated in the Japanese Alps, Suwa Taisha is one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines,...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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