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
Yamanoue Daijingu
函館市, 北海道
nullYamanoue Daijingu Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the Yamanoue family, who were p...
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Yamashina Shrine
Shiga
InariYamashina Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is dedicated to t...
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Yamashina Shrine
Shiga
YamashinaYamashina Shrine, located in the heart of Shiga Prefecture, is a revered Shinto site that has been w...
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Yamato Daijingu
Nara
Amaterasu OmikamiYamato Daijingu is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture that serves as a regional branch of Ise Grand...
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Yamato Kojinden
Nara
Imperial ancestral spiritsA Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to imperial and ancestral kami, reflecting the deep con...
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Yamato Onji Shrine
Nara
Onji no KamiA historic Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Onji no Kami, representing one of the regio...
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Yamato Shrine
Kochi
A local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding co...
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Yamato Shrine
Hokkaido
Located in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaido's largest city, Yamato Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated...
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Yamato Tenmangu
Kanagawa
TenjinYamato Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of learning and culture, Tenjin. Located in...
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Yamatohime-no-miya
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Yamatohime-no-mikotoYamatohime-no-miya is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Yamatohime-no-mikoto, the legendary princess who...
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Yamatohime-no-miya Shrine
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Princess Yamatohime-no-mikotoYamatohime-no-miya is a shrine dedicated to Princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto, the legendary princess wh...
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Yamauchi Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the Yamauchi clan, the former daimyo family that ru...
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Yamazaki Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Yamazaki Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Oj...
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Yamazakura shrine
Ishikawa
Mount HakuLocated in the heart of Ishikawa Prefecture, Yamazakura Shrine is a serene Shinto temple dedicated t...
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Yanagawa Inari Shrine
Chiba
Inari OkamiYanagawa Inari Shrine, located in the scenic town of Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture, is a Shinto shri...
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Yanagi Shrine
Chiba
Susanoo-no-MikotoYanagi Shrine, located in the heart of Chiba Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of...
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Yanagi Tenno Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Tenno shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, following the tradition of shrine...
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Yanagihara Inari Shrine
Ibaraki
Inari OkamiYanagihara Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Miyama, Ibaraki Prefecture. The sh...
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Yanagihara Shrine
Kanagawa
nullYanagihara Shrine, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the s...
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Yanagimori Jinja Shrine
Chiba
nullYanagimori Jinja Shrine, located in the town of Soga, Chiba Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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