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
Mikasa Shrine
Kumamoto
Mikasa Shrine served as the chief protective shrine (sōchinju) of the Miike Domain during the Edo pe...
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Miyauchi Shrine
Kumamoto
A local Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding...
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Mount Aso Summit Shrine
Kumamoto
Volcanic deities of Mount AsoA shrine located on the summit of Mount Aso, one of Japan's most active volcanic regions in Kumamoto...
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Myokai Tenryuo Shrine
Kumamoto
Dragon King deity associated with water and sea protection View shrine →
Nagao Tsurugi Shrine
Kumamoto
Sword deities and protective kamiA Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to deities associated with swords and protection. T...
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Naka-ku Tenmangu Shrine
Kumamoto
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenmangu shrine located in the Naka-ku district of Kumamoto, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, t...
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Nihongi Shrine
Kumamoto
A local Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding communi...
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Nishinomiya Shrine
Kumamoto
Ebisu (deity of fishing, luck, and prosperity)Nishinomiya Shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture is dedicated to Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods in Japa...
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Noda Shrine
Kumamoto
A local Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding...
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Numayamatsu Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, known for its connection to local maritime and coast...
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Oguchi Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, dedicated to local kami and serving the spiritual ne...
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Omi Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, serving the local community as a place of worship an...
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Onsen Shrine
Kumamoto
Hot spring deitiesA Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the spiritual forces of hot springs. These shrin...
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Oomiwa Shrine
Kumamoto
Oomononushi-no-KamiA Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Oomononushi-no-Kami, sharing the name and spirit...
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Oosaki Shrine
Kumamoto
A Shinto shrine located in Kumamoto Prefecture, serving as a local place of worship and community ga...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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