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
Wakamiya Shrine
Kagoshima
Wakamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to young or subsidiary kami. Li...
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Wakamiya Shrine
Kagoshima
Wakamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture that serves as a local spiritual center f...
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Wakamiya Shrine
Kagoshima
Wakamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture. The name 'Wakamiya' meaning 'young shrin...
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Wakamiya Shrine
Kagoshima
Wakamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to young deities, typically ser...
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Wakamiya Shrine
Kagoshima
Wakamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to young or subsidiary kami. Li...
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Yafusa Shrine
Kagoshima
A Shinto shrine located in Kagoshima Prefecture, known by its distinctive name which references the...
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Yamamiya Shrine
Kagoshima
Yamamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kagoshima Prefecture, whose name translates to 'Mounta...
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Yamanokami Shrine
Kagoshima
Mountain deityA shrine dedicated to Yamanokami, the mountain deity revered throughout Japan for protection of moun...
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Yasaka Shrine
Kagoshima
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture is a local Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the s...
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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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Yoriki Hachiman Shrine
Kagoshima
Hachiman, god of war and protector of Japan View shrine →
Yoshimitsu Shrine
Kagoshima
A local Shinto shrine located in Kagoshima Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surroundin...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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