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
Wanishimo Shrine
Nara
Emperor Ojin and associated deitiesWanishimo Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, situated in the anci...
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Yamabe Agata Shrine
Nara
Yamabe no Agata no KamiYamabe Agata Shrine is an ancient Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, dedicated to th...
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Yamaguchi Shrine
Nara
A Shinto shrine located in Nara Prefecture, taking its name from the Japanese characters meaning 'mo...
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Yamato Daijingu
Nara
Amaterasu OmikamiYamato Daijingu is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture that serves as a regional branch of Ise Grand...
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Yamato Kojinden
Nara
Imperial ancestral spiritsA Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to imperial and ancestral kami, reflecting the deep con...
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Yamato Onji Shrine
Nara
Onji no KamiA historic Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Onji no Kami, representing one of the regio...
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Yanase Inari Shrine
Nara
Inari OkamiYanase Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to the harvest and prosperi...
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Yasaka Shrine
Nara
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amater...
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Yasaka Shrine
Nara
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amater...
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Yasaka Shrine
Nara
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amater...
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Yasaka Shrine
Nara
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine in Nara Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god an...
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Yashira Shrine
Nara
Eight protective deitiesYashira Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to eight protective deities, as indic...
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Yasumigaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Nara
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Yasumigaoka Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine located in Nara Prefecture, dedicated to the deified Emp...
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Yo Tenmangu Shrine
Nara
Sugawara no MichizaneYo Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified sc...
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Yoshino Mikumari Shrine
Nara
Mikumari-no-kami (water distribution deity)One of Japan's most important water deity shrines, located on sacred Mount Yoshino in Nara Prefectur...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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