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
Kumano Shrine
Nara
Kumano Gongen deitiesKumano Shrine in Nara Prefecture is a local branch of the famous Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage sites. Lik...
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Kunitokotachi Shrine
Nara
Kunitokotachi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto, one of the primordial deities in Japanese myth...
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Kunitokotachi Shrine
Nara
Kunitokotachi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Kunitokotachi-no-Mikoto, one of the primordial deities in Japanese cosm...
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Kunitsu Shrine
Nara
Earthly deities (kunitsukami)A Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to kunitsukami, the earthly deities who governed the la...
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Kunugi Shrine
Nara
A local Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture, named after the kunugi oak tree which holds significance i...
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Magotaro Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiMagotaro Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the rice deity Inari O...
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Meita Shrine
Nara
Saruta-hiko no MikotoMeita Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine in Yamato-Koriyama, Nara Prefecture, dedicated to Saruta-hi...
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Mikado Shrine
Nara
A Shinto shrine located in Nara Prefecture, distinguished by its name which incorporates 'mikado,' a...
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Mikumari Shrine
Nara
Water distribution deityMikumari Shrine is dedicated to water deities who control the distribution and flow of water for agr...
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Mizuhime Daimyojin Shrine
Nara
Mizuhime no Mikoto (water goddess)A shrine dedicated to Mizuhime no Mikoto, a Shinto water deity. The name 'Mizuhime Daimyojin' transl...
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Mizukagami Tenjin Shrine
Nara
Sugawara no MichizaneMizukagami Tenjin Shrine is a Tenjin shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, t...
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Mizunaga Daimyojin Shrine
Nara
Mizunaga Daimyojin (water deity)A Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Mizunaga Daimyojin, a water deity. The name suggests...
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Mizutama Inari Daimyojin Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiMizutama Inari Daimyojin is a local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prospe...
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Myojin Pond Worship Site
Nara
Water deity of Myojin PondA sacred worship site located at Myojin Pond, representing the Shinto practice of venerating natural...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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