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
Akiba Shrine
Gifu
Kagutsuchi-no-kamiAkiba Shrine is dedicated to the fire deity Kagutsuchi-no-kami and serves as a center for fire preve...
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Akiba Shrine
Gifu
Hinokagutsuchi no KamiAkiba Shrine is dedicated to fire prevention and safety, enshrining the fire deity Hinokagutsuchi no...
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Akiba Shrine
Gifu
Kagutsuchi-no-MikotoAkiba Shrine is dedicated to fire prevention and protection from disasters. Originally part of the A...
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Akiba Shrine
Gifu
Kagutsuchi-no-MikotoAkiba Shrine is dedicated to fire prevention and protection from fire disasters. Part of the Akiba s...
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Akiba Shrine
Gifu
Akiba DaigongenAkiba Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Akiba Daigongen, a fire deity revered for protection ag...
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Akiha Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari Okami and Akiha DaigongenA shrine combining the worship of Inari, the rice and prosperity deity, with Akiha Daigongen, a Budd...
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Akiha Shrine
Gifu
Akiha-no-kamiAkiha Shrine is dedicated to Akiha-no-kami, a fire deity revered for protection against fires and vo...
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Akiha Shrine
Gifu
Akiha-sama (fire prevention deity)Akiha Shrine is dedicated to Akiha-sama, a powerful fire prevention deity widely venerated throughou...
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Akiha Shrine
Gifu
Akiha-san-jakushi (fire prevention deity)Akiha Shrine is dedicated to fire prevention and safety, part of the widespread network of Akiha shr...
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Aofusuma Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, known by its distinctive name meaning 'blue bedding' or...
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Aragami Shrine
Gifu
Aragami (fierce protective deity)A Shinto shrine dedicated to Aragami, fierce protective deities in Japanese folk religion. Aragami a...
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Arahashi Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, dedicated to local kami and serving the spiritual needs...
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Asahi Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to solar worship, as indicated by its name meaning 'mor...
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Asai Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, serving as a local place of worship and community gather...
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Asama Shrine
Gifu
Konohanasakuya-himeAn Asama shrine dedicated to Konohanasakuya-hime, the goddess of Mount Fuji and volcanic mountains....
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Asama Shrine
Gifu
Konohanasakuya-himeAsama Shrine is dedicated to Konohanasakuya-hime, the Shinto deity of Mount Fuji and volcanoes. As p...
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Asama Shrine
Gifu
Konohanasakuya-himeAsama Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Konohanasakuya-hime, the goddess of Mount Fuji and cher...
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Asama Shrine
Gifu
Konohanasakuya-himeAsama Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Konohanasakuya-hime, the goddess of Mount Fuji and volc...
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Asamiya Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, known for its connection to ancient worship practices an...
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Aso Shrine
Gifu
Aso no OkamiA Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, part of the network of shrines dedicated to the Aso deit...
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Asuke Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine located in the historic Asuke district, known for its traditional architecture and...
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Atago Shrine
Gifu
Kagutsuchi-no-mikotoAtago Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to fire prevention and protection. As part of the Atago sh...
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Atago Shrine
Gifu
Atago GongenA local Atago shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the deity of fire prevention and protection. At...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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