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
Akita
Shishima TsuneyoshiLocated in the Akita Prefecture, White Hair Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Shishima Tsuneyos...
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Akita
Yamatsunomiya HachimanHokuto Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto kami of Mount Haku. The shrin...
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Akita
Fujin, BentenLocated in Akita Prefecture, the Eight Humps Shrine is a prominent Shinto site dedicated to Fujin, t...
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Akita
Inari OkamiIndra Shrine in Akita is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, built in 718 AD during the Nara perio...
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Akita
Ebisu, YatagarasuJuo Do Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto deity of longevity, health, and agricul...
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Akita
Bonten BosatsuLocated in the heart of Akita, Takada Honji Shrine is a revered Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity...
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Akita
RyūjinDeep Mountain Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto site that honors the kami of the moun...
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Akita
nullLocated in Akita Prefecture, Uppa-ryuji Shinsho and Godawan-e Jinsha shrines are two well-known Shin...
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Akita
Inari OkamiThe Dewa Sanzan's sacred mountain, Zao-san, is said to be the origin of Dewa Kami, a group of Shinto...
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Akita
IzanagiLocated in the heart of Akita City, Shrines dedicated to Izanagi and Izanami are common in northern...
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Akita
HachimanLocated in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Eight Horses Temple Shrine (Hachimantai) is one of Japan's...
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Akita
InariLocated in Akita Prefecture, Inari Okitenai Shrine is one of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines dedi...
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Akita
Kogatsu no KamiKōgaku-ji Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god Kogatsu no Kami, rever...
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Akita
Temmon no OkamiLocated in the heart of Akita City,諏訪神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the...
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Akita
HachimanLocated in the heart of Akita Prefecture, the Hachimantai Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...
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Akita
Amaterasu愛宕神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the deity Amaterasu, one of th...
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Akita
nullKobushi-sha, a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the deities of medicine an...
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Akita
Shin'en no Okami (Holy Deer)後三年神社は秋田県の重要な文化遺産であり、天草四郎・源頼宗・松本正平が三友（三人で）という名で知られ...
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Akita
Inari OkamiLocated in the city of Aomori, Akita Prefecture's second-largest city, Kotobashi Shrine honors the k...
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Akita
Mutsu no OkamiLocated in the heart of Akita, Eight Gates Shrine (Hachisakaken-jinja) is a revered Shinto site that...
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Akita
Tobira-no-KamiKatagawa Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of agricultu...
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Akita
Tashiro-no-Tsukayami-kamiLocated in the city of Akita, Sanjigijinsha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami associated with...
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Akita
FutsunokamiImamagasa Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good fort...
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Akita
RyujinAkibayama Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity of rice fields and f...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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