Japanese Shrine Directory (神社データベース)

What is a shrine?

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.

Using this directory

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.

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30,440 shrines found

大日如来堂

Shiga

Amaterasu Omikami

Bigakura-dera, a Shinto shrine located in the Kansai region of Japan, is dedicated to the sun goddes...

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お社

Shiga

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Located in the heart of Japan, お社 Shrine is a serene oasis nestled amidst the rolling hills of Shi...

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廣峯神社

Shiga

Kumano no Okami

Located in the picturesque town of Katsuyama, Hatakeyama Shrine is dedicated to the worship of Kuman...

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小川神社

Shiga

Okuninushi no Kami

Small but historic Minatogahara Shrine in Shiga Prefecture is dedicated to Okuninushi no Kami, a Shi...

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常神社

Shiga

Amaterasu

Honganji Shrine, located in Shiga Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amater...

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濱宮神社

Shiga

Inari

Located in Shiga Prefecture, Hambashi Shrine is a tranquil oasis along the shores of Lake Biwa. The...

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稲荷神社

Shiga

Inari

Located in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, the Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Shinto g...

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風宮神社

Shiga

Kaze no kami

Wind Temple Shrine, located in the city of Koka, Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to the kami of wind...

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水月神社

Shiga

Located in the town of Ryuo, Shiga Prefecture, Water Moon Shrine is a serene Shinto sanctuary that h...

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日吉神社

Shiga

Amaterasu Omikami

Dayatsuji Shrine, located in the town of Mino, Shiga Prefecture, is a well-known Shinto shrine dedic...

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佐支神社

Shiga

Benzaiten

Sasaka Shrine, located in Shiga Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of Mount Hiei....

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水神宮

Shiga

Okuninushi

Water Shrine of the Japanese countryside, located on the shores of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Th...

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秋葉神社

Shiga

Amaterasu / Susanoo

Akihaba Shrine, located in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, is a historic Shinto shrine dedicat...

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日吉神社

Shiga

Amaterasu and Sakae no Katsuno-mi-no-kami

Located in the city of Hikone, Dayotsu-jinja Shrine is one of Japan's oldest shrines, dedicated to A...

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市姫神社

Shiga

Located in the heart of Shiga Prefecture, Shitennō-ji Temple is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated t...

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常神社

Shiga

Kazegi-ji, located in the town of Katsuyama in Shiga Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest and most r...

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廣嶺神社

Shiga

Narigisaido no Kami

Located in the town of Katsuta, Echizen Province, Hida Shirakawa Gakuin Shrine is a Shinto shrine de...

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一言主神社

Shiga

Ōno-tyōjinō

One sentence, '一言主神社' means one word deity shrine dedicated to Ōno-tyōjinō, a kami believed to...

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八幡神社

Shiga

Hachiman

Located in the city of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture, Hachiman Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and most...

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常宮神社

Shiga

Tsukuyomi

Constant Shrine, a Shinto temple located in the city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to...

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金刀比羅神社

Shiga

Okuninushi no Kami

Located in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Gold Sword Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Okuninushi no...

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金刀比羅神社

Shiga

Kinuta Hiruko

Located in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Kinuta Hiruko Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated t...

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別宮神社

Shiga

Ame-no-Uzume

The Omi-Ja Shrine, also known as the 'Other Palace God Shrine', is a Shinto shrine located in the ci...

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日吉山王神社

Shiga

Hachiman

Dayotsu Mountain King Shrine, located in the mountains of Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to the wors...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.

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