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
Himuro Tenjin Shrine
Kochi
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and poli...
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Hirota Shrine
Kochi
Emperor OjinHirota Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves as an important local spiri...
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Hisakata Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deitiesA local Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to protective kami serving the surrounding commu...
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Hiyoshi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamakui no KamiHiyoshi Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the mountain deity Oyamakui no Ka...
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Ichijo Shrine
Kochi
Ichijo family ancestorsA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the Ichijo family, particularly associated with the...
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Ichinomiya Shiogama Shrine
Kochi
Salt and sea deitiesA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to salt and sea deities, serving as the ichinomiya (fi...
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Ichinomiya Shrine
Kochi
Shigeyorihime-no-mikotoIchinomiya Shrine is the premier Shinto shrine of Tosa Province (modern-day Kochi Prefecture), holdi...
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Ichinomiya Shrine
Kochi
Ichinomiya Shrine is the former provincial shrine (ichinomiya) of Tosa Province, now Kochi Prefectur...
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Ichinomiya Shrine
Kochi
Provincial protective deities of TosaIchinomiya Shrine is the principal shrine of Tosa Province (modern-day Kochi Prefecture), holding th...
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Imagawa Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to members of the Imagawa clan. The shrine se...
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Imagawa Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to the Imagawa family lineage. The shrine ser...
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Inari Shrine
Kochi
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto deity of rice, sake, a...
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Inobe Shrine
Kochi
A local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding co...
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Ise Shrine
Kochi
Amaterasu OmikamiA local Ise Shrine in Kochi Prefecture, one of many shrines throughout Japan that enshrine Amaterasu...
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Ishimoto Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving the local community with traditional religious...
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Ishitsuchi Shrine
Kochi
Ishitsuchi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Ishitsuchi-no-Mikoto, an earth deity associated wit...
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Ishizuchi Shrine
Kochi
Ishizuchi-no-MikotoIshizuchi Shrine is dedicated to the sacred Mount Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan and S...
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Ishizuchi Shrine
Kochi
Ishizuchi-no-OmikamiA Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of Mount Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan and Shi...
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Ishizuchi Shrine
Kochi
Ishizuchi-no-OmikamiA Shinto shrine dedicated to Mount Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan and a sacred mountai...
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Ishizuchi Shrine
Kochi
Ishizuchi no MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of Mount Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan and Shik...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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