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
Kumano-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
YakamochiKumano-jinja Shrine is a revered Shinto shrine located in the heart of Tanabashi City, Kyoto Prefect...
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Make-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
Mokui-tsurugi-no-kamiLocated in the city of Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, Mokui-jinja Shrine is a serene and historic Shinto...
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Miwa-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
Amaterasu, Inari, othersLocated in the city of MinamiKyoto, Miwa-jinja Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto Prefectu...
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Ōmori-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
Inari OkamiŌmori-jinja Shrine, located in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture, is dedicated to various kami i...
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Shikobuchi Shrine
京都市, 京都府
Located in the heart of Kyoto, Shikobuchi Shrine is a tranquil oasis that has been revered by locals...
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Sugawara-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
Located in the city of Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, Sugawara-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated...
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Wakamiya-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
Amaterasu ŌmikamiWakamiya-jinja is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Kyoto, dedicated to the kami Amaterasu Ōmi...
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Yabuta-jinja
南丹市, 京都府
Takehisa-OkamiYabuta-jinja Shrine, located in Nada-cho, Minamimachi, Kyoto Prefecture, is a lesser-known Shinto sh...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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