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
Nitta Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin and related deitiesA Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Hachiman deities. The shrine serves the loc...
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Oikazuchi Shrine
Kochi
Thunder deityA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Oikazuchi-no-Kami, a powerful thunder deity from Ja...
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Oise-gu Shrine
Kochi
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and principal dei...
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Oise-sama Shrine
Kochi
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, commonly referred to as Oise-sama...
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Oji Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to deities associated with protection and pros...
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Okami Shrine
Kochi
Okami no Kami (dragon water deity)A shrine dedicated to Okami no Kami, the dragon deity of water and rain. The character 龗 represents...
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Omine Hakuo Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to mountain worship and local spiritual tradi...
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Omoto Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves the local community as a place of worship an...
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Omoto Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving as a spiritual center for the local community w...
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Omoto Shrine
Kochi
Omoto Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves as an important local spirit...
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Ontake Shrine
Kochi
Ontake-no-MikotoOntake Shrine is dedicated to the mountain deity Ontake-no-Mikoto and represents the Ontake sect of...
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Otake Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to local spiritual protection and community w...
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Otonashi Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves the local community with traditional worship...
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Oyamazumi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, deity of mountains and seaOyamazumi Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the powerful Shinto deity...
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Oyamazumi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamazumi-no-kami, deity of mountains and seaA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-kami, the powerful deity of mountains...
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Oyamazumi Shrine
Kochi
Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, deity of mountains and seaA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, the powerful kami of mountains...
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Ozu Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture that serves the local community with traditional worship...
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Ozu-ryo Sochinju Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman (god of war and divine protection)A Hachiman shrine serving as the chief protective shrine (sochinju) for the former Ozu domain. As a...
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Rokujo Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman (God of War and Divine Protection)Rokujo Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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