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
Yasaka Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god a...
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Yasaka Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm deity...
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Yasaka Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm deity...
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Yasaka Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine in Kochi Prefecture is a local Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm...
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Yasaka Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god a...
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Yasaka Shrine
Kochi
Susanoo-no-MikotoYasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god a...
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Yashiro Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Yashiro Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to the deified Empero...
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Yokokura Shrine
Kochi
A historic Shinto shrine located in the mountains of Kochi Prefecture, situated near the legendary Y...
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Yonaoshi Myojin Shrine
Kochi
Yonaoshi Myojin (World Renewal Deity)A local Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Yonaoshi Myojin, a deity associated with worl...
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Yusui Ryuodo Hall
Kochi
Ryuojin (Dragon King deity)A sacred hall dedicated to the Dragon King deity, associated with natural spring water and water wor...
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Zaou Shrine
Kochi
Zaou GongenZaou Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Zaou Gongen, a syncretic Buddhist-Sh...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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