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
Shimane
HachimanLocated in the city of Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, Taketomi-guchi Hachiman Shrine is a lesser-known...
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Shimane
nullMikage-yama Shrine, located in the town of Karashiyama in Iwami County, Shimane Prefecture, is dedic...
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Shimane
OtohimeLocated in the city of Matsue, Ishidatari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inazuma Kagutsuchi,...
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Shimane
ShinmatsuhimeWater kami of the Iwami region, dedicated to protecting fishermen and promoting good harvests. The s...
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Shimane
Otori-no-MikotoObservation Temple, a historic Shinto shrine in Shimane Prefecture, was originally built as a Buddhi...
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Shimane
HachimanLocated in the scenic Shikoku region, Ifukuji Shrine is a sacred site honoring the deity of wisdom a...
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Shimane
Sugawara no MichizaneIndus Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Matsue city of Shimane Prefecture, known for its uniq...
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Shimane
Inari OkamiLocated in the Shikoku region of Japan, 下見八幡宮 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the deit...
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Shimane
InariHigashi-no-Mikawa Shrine, located in the town of Kasaoka in Shimane Prefecture, is one of Japan's ol...
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Shimane
HachimanLocated in the scenic town of Matsue, Shimane Prefecture's capital city, the Eightfold Shrine (Hachi...
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Shimane
nullLocated in the picturesque town of Maita, Shimane Prefecture, Maruyama Shrine is a revered Shinto si...
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Shimane
Tsunetsugu MinamotoMyozenji Temple, located in the scenic Iwami region of Shimane Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedica...
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Shimane
OkuninushiLocated in the town of Okayama in Shimane Prefecture, Okunitsuna Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated...
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Shimane
Plain Mountain Shrine KamiLocated in the scenic town of Higashiura, Shimane Prefecture, is the historic Plain Mountain Shrine,...
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Shimane
AmaterasuōmikamiLocated on the island of Shikoku, Shrinesetsumeyashima-sanji (厳島神社) is one of Japan's most sacre...
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Shimane
OkuninushiLocated in the city of Matsue, Shimojo District, Shimane Prefecture, is the famous Okunoshima Shrine...
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Shimane
Inari諏訪神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Yamai, Shimane Prefecture. The shrine is dedicate...
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Shimane
nullRooted in the Shinto tradition of Shimane Prefecture, 根切神社 is a revered shrine dedicated to the...
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Shimane
TenjinLocated in the town of Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Daigo-tenjin Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated t...
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Shimane
Hata Noe-no-kamiCoizaka Shrine, located in Shimane Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Hata Noe-no...
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Shimane
Izumo Takamori no OkamiLocated in the picturesque town of Yamaguchi, the Daikae Shrine in Shimane Prefecture is a significa...
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Shimane
Susanoo-no-MikotoMost Above Shrine, located in the scenic town of Iwakuni, is a revered Shinto site that honors the k...
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Shimane
Inari OkamiLocated in the heart of Matsue City, Shizukuishi-cho, in Shimane Prefecture, is a relatively lesser-...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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