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

結社

Shiga

Hachiman

Kokubunji Shrine, located in Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma Prefecture, was originally built in 718 CE as a te...

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妙満寺

Shiga

Myōman-ji Temple, located in the city of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture, is one of Japan's most famous Z...

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八神社

Shiga

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Located in the Hikone city of Shiga Prefecture, Eight Gods Shrine is a historic Shinto site dedicate...

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東総門

Shiga

Okuninushi

Located in the city of Omi, Shiga Prefecture, the Shrine of East Gate is a historic Shinto temple th...

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桃山天満宮

Shiga

Hachiman

桃山天満宮 is a historic Shinto shrine located in the town of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Dedi...

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藤森神社

Shiga

Fudō-ō Shrine, dedicated to the Buddhist deity Fudo Myōō, is a rare example of a non-Shinto shrine i...

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鳥居

Shiga

Susano-o

The Bird's Tower Shrine, located in the picturesque town of Yasugo in Shiga Prefecture, is a serene...

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本殿

Shiga

Kusanagi-no-kami

Located in the city of Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, the Hon-den Shrine is a historic Shinto temple dedica...

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羽束師神社

Shiga

Tenmusu

Hasedoshi-sha is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture. Dedicated to the...

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奈良豆比古神社

Shiga

null

Nara-period Todai-ji Shrine, located in the city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, is a small Shinto sh...

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長尾天満宮

Shiga

Hachiman, Inari, Susanoo

Longeimon-gu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Katsuyama, Shiga Prefecture. The shrin...

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清瀧宮

Shiga

Ryujin

清瀧宮 is a historic Shinto shrine located in the city of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture. The shrine is d...

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毛知比神社

Shiga

Ukaegi-no-Kami

Located in the city of Nagahama, Okawa Shrine is dedicated to the deity Ukaegi-no-Kami, a water spir...

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山ノ神神社

Shiga

Located in the heart of Japan, Hikone-jinja Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor...

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shinto

白山神社

Shiga

Located in Echizen Province, Shiga Prefecture, White Mountain Shrine is dedicated to the deities of...

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shinto

御霊神社

Shiga

The Ōrei-jinsha Shrine in Shiga Prefecture is a small but historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the en...

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shinto

九頭神社

Shiga

Ebisu

The Nine-Headed God Shrine, located in Shiga Prefecture, is a lesser-known Shinto temple dedicated t...

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戸隠神社

Shiga

Hidetaka

Hodoinshinsha is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, famous for its c...

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南総門

Shiga

Hachiman

Nan Tō Mon Shrine, located in the city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest and m...

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おふだ・お守り授与所

Shiga

This Shiga prefecture shrine is dedicated to the Kami of Protection and Blessings, where devotees ca...

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社務所

Shiga

Takemikazuchi

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

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鍛冶神社

Shiga

Sugiyama-hiko

The 鍛冶神社, located in Shiga Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of sake brewing...

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供御所

Shiga

Minakuchi no Kami

The temple of Minakuchi, Suppōso is a historic Shinto shrine located in the city of Echizen, Shiga P...

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手水舎

Shiga

手水舒 Shrine, located in Shiga Prefecture, is a small Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of water...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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