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
Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine in Nara is one of Japan's most significant Shinto shrines, famous for its thousands of...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other protective deitiesKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nara dedicated to the Fujiwara clan's tutelary deities. Known fo...
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Kasuga Shrine and Tenmangu Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, Sugawara no MichizaneA dual shrine complex combining Kasuga and Tenmangu traditions, representing both the protective kam...
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Kasuga Taisha Otabisho
Nara
Four Kasuga deitiesAn important auxiliary shrine serving as the otabisho (temporary resting place) for Kasuga Taisha's...
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Kawai Hachiman Shrine
Nara
Emperor OjinA Hachiman shrine located in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin and associated deities. As a...
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Kawai Shrine
Nara
Kawai Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Nara Prefecture, known for its historical significance an...
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Kaze Shrine
Nara
Shinatsuhiko-no-mikoto (wind deity)A Shinto shrine dedicated to wind deities, particularly significant in Japanese agricultural and mar...
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Kizuki Shrine
Nara
Okuninushi-no-MikotoKizuki Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, the great lan...
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Kizuki Shrine
Nara
Okuninushi-no-MikotoKizuki Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, the great dei...
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Kodai Jinja
Nara
Amaterasu OmikamiKodai Jinja is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess an...
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Kokita Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Inari Okami, who is worshipped fo...
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Kokufu Shrine
Nara
A historic Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture associated with the ancient provincial government (kokuf...
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Kokushiro Shrine
Nara
A local Shinto shrine located in Nara Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding com...
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Kompira Shrine
Nara
Kompira-sama (Okuninushi-no-mikoto)A Kompira shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the protective deity of seafaring, safe travel, and...
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Konpira Shrine
Nara
Ōmononushi-no-MikotoA Konpira shrine dedicated to the deity of maritime safety and prosperity. Part of the network of sh...
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Koriyama Hachiman Shrine
Nara
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Koriyama Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Nara Prefecture, dedicated to the deified E...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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