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
Kasuga Shrine
Kumamoto
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesA Kasuga shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the traditional Kasuga deities. Like other Kasug...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine is one of Japan's most important Shinto shrines, famous for its thousands of stone and...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine in Nara is part of the renowned Kasuga Taisha shrine complex, one of Japan's most impo...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other Kasuga deitiesKasuga Shrine in Nara is one of Japan's most significant Shinto shrines, famous for its thousands of...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and associated Kasuga deitiesOne of Japan's most important Shinto shrines, famous for its thousands of stone and bronze lanterns...
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Kasuga Shrine
Nara
Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto and other protective deitiesKasuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nara dedicated to the Fujiwara clan's tutelary deities. Known fo...
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Kasuga Taisha
Kochi
Fujiwara ancestral deities and protective kamiKasuga Taisha is a prominent Shinto shrine dedicated to the Fujiwara family's ancestral deities. The...
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Kasuga Taisha Otabisho
Nara
Four Kasuga deitiesAn important auxiliary shrine serving as the otabisho (temporary resting place) for Kasuga Taisha's...
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Kuramochi Kasuga Shrine
—
Kasuga deitiesKuramochi Kasuga Shrine is a local Kasuga-affiliated shrine that enshrines the traditional four Kasu...
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Soshu Kasuga Shrine
Kanagawa
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoA Kasuga-affiliated shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture that enshrines the protective deities of the Fujiw...
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Soshu Kasuga Shrine
Kanagawa
Takemikazuchi-no-mikotoSoshu Kasuga Shrine is a Kasuga-type shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the network of s...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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