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
Ujigami Shrine
Shiga
UjigamiUjigami Shrine, located in the city of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture, is a well-known Shinto shrine ded...
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Uka shurine
Ibaraki
Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Hikoboshi-no-MikotoUka Shrine, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Susanoo-no-Mikoto and hi...
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Ukamitama-no-mikoto Shrine
Kanagawa
Ukamitama-no-mikoto, deity of food and agricultureA Shinto shrine dedicated to Ukamitama-no-mikoto, one of the primary Inari deities associated with f...
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Ukanomitama Shrine
岡山市, 岡山県
Inari Ōno-mikotoUkanomitama Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, dedicated to the...
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Ukawa Shrine
Shiga
Okuninushi no KamiUkawa Shrine, located in the scenic town of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to the kami, Okun...
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Ukawa Tenmangu Shrine
Kochi
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenmangu shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and po...
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Uke no Inari Shrine
Kanagawa
Ukanomitama-no-kamiA local Inari shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the kami of food, agriculture, and prosperi...
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Ukehi Shrine
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Deity associated with oaths and divinationA Shinto shrine dedicated to the concept of ukehi, an ancient Japanese practice of divination and oa...
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Ukehi Shrine
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Deities associated with sacred oaths and divinationUkehi Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto concept of ukehi, a form of ritual divination or sacred oath...
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Ukehi Shrine
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Deity associated with oaths and divinationA Shinto shrine dedicated to the concept of ukehi, the ancient practice of ritual divination and oat...
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Ukei Shrine
Shizuoka
Kamado no OkamiLocated in the city of Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Ukei Shrine is a sacred site dedicated to the Sh...
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Ukemitama Shrine
Kochi
Ukemitama-no-kami (deity of food and agriculture)A Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Ukemitama-no-kami, one of the primary food deities...
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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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Ukiha Inari Shrine
Fukuoka
InariUkiha Inari Shrine is a Shinto temple located in Fukuoka Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of Ina...
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Ukishima Shrine
Okinawa
BenzaitenUkishima Shrine, located in the heart of Okinawa, is a Shinto temple dedicated to the sea goddess, B...
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Umeda Hachiman Shrine
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Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated with the protection of warrio...
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Umegakubo Jinja
Nagano
Ōkuninushi no ŌkamiUmegakubo Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, dedicated to the k...
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Umetsubomachi Tenjin Shrine
Tokyo
TenjinLocated in the heart of Tokyo's Asakusa district, Umetsubomachi Tenjin Shrine is a revered Shinto te...
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Umi Hachimangu Shrine
Fukuoka
HachimanUmi Hachimangu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Fukuoka Prefecture, dedicated to the sea god Hac...
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Umori Inari Shrine
Ibaraki
Inari OkamiLocated in the scenic coastal town of Tomobe, Ibaraki Prefecture, Umori Inari Shrine is a revered Sh...
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Umori Shrine
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Hachiman, tutelary deity of warriors and divine protectorUmori Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the deity of war and divine protection. The s...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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