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
Gozu Tenno Shrine
Kochi
Gozu Tenno (protector against disease and pestilence)A Shinto shrine dedicated to Gozu Tenno, a syncretic deity combining Buddhist and Shinto elements wh...
View shrine →Gunzu Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves as a local spiritual center for the surround...
View shrine →Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the worship of Hachiman, the Shinto god of war, c...
View shrine →Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hondawake no Mikoto)A Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin. Hachiman shrine...
View shrine →Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the syncretic Shinto-Buddhist deity Hachiman, rev...
View shrine →Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protection of JapanA Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated with divi...
View shrine →Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin, revered as the god of w...
View shrine →Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hondawake no Mikoto)A Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin, revered as the god of w...
View shrine →Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protector of Japan View shrine →Hachimanguu Daijin Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hondawake no Mikoto)A Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin, revered as a deity of w...
View shrine →Hachioji Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman, the god of war and divine protectionHachioji Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that venerates Hachiman, the Shinto...
View shrine →Hachisho Kawachi Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, known locally as Hachisho Kawachi Shrine. The name sugg...
View shrine →Haidaka Shrine
Kochi
A local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding co...
View shrine →Hakuo Shrine
Kochi
A local Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to regional protective deities. The name Hakuo,...
View shrine →Hakuo Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deityHakuo Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture. The name Hakuo, meaning 'White Ki...
View shrine →Hakuo Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to local kami and serving the spiritual needs...
View shrine →Hakusan Shrine
Kochi
Shirayama-hime-no-MikotoA Hakusan shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the mountain deity Shirayama-hime-no-Mikoto. Hakus...
View shrine →Hakusan Shrine
Kochi
Shirayama-hime-no-mikotoHakusan Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Shirayama-hime-no-mikoto, the pri...
View shrine →Hakusan Shrine
Kochi
Shirayamahime-no-MikotoA Hakusan shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the mountain deity Shirayamahime-no-Mikoto. Hakusa...
View shrine →Hamabe Shrine
Kochi
A coastal shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to maritime safety and fishing prosperity. The shrine...
View shrine →Hata Shrine
Kochi
Emperor OjinHata Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin as Hachiman, the deity...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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