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
Todoroki Ryuo Daijin Shrine
Kochi
Dragon deity associated with water and rainA shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Todoroki Ryuo Daijin, a powerful dragon deity. The name 'T...
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Todoroki Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, known locally as Todoroki Jinja. The name 'Todoroki' me...
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Todoroki Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, known locally as Todoroki Shrine. The name 'todoroki' r...
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Toro Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, known for its local spiritual significance and communit...
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Tosa Inari Shrine
Kochi
Inari OkamiTosa Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to the fox deity In...
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Tosa Itsukushima Shrine
Kochi
Ichikishimahime-no-mikotoTosa Itsukushima Shrine is a branch shrine of the famous Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, dedicated...
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Toyota Shrine
Kochi
A Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to local kami and serving the spiritual needs...
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Tsurugio Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deitiesTsurugio Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, known for its connection to sword-re...
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Ukawa Tenmangu Shrine
Kochi
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenmangu shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and po...
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Ukemitama Shrine
Kochi
Ukemitama-no-kami (deity of food and agriculture)A Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Ukemitama-no-kami, one of the primary food deities...
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Utsunomiya Shrine
Kochi
Ojin Tenno and Empress JinguUtsunomiya Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to Emperor Ojin and Em...
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Wakaichi Ojigū Shrine
Kochi
Wakaichi ŌjiA Kumano-affiliated shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Wakaichi Ōji, one of the subsidiary deit...
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Wakaichi Shrine
Kochi
Kumano deitiesA Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano deities. The name 'Wakaichi' suggests it...
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Wakaichioji Shrine
Kochi
Wakaichioji no MikotoWakaichioji Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Wakaichioji no Mikoto, one of...
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Wakakusa Inari Shrine
Kochi
Inari OkamiWakakusa Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to the fox deit...
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Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Emperor OjinA Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin, representing the divine...
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Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified E...
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Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated deities....
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Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman (God of War and Divine Protection)Wakamiya Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin a...
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Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Wakamiya Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin a...
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Wakamiya Shrine
Kochi
Wakamiya Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to a young deity, following the tra...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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