Japanese Shrine Directory (神社データベース)

What is a shrine?

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.

Using this directory

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.

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30,440 shrines found

初島神社

Nagano

Shishigami Tenjin

Initialy Island Shrine, located in the heart of Japan's majestic mountains, is a sacred site dedicat...

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三杜神社

Nagano

Saito-no-Okami

Saito Shrine, located in the heart of the Japanese Alps, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of...

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梓川神社

Nagano

Kami of the Ramagasa River

Located in the picturesque town of Kamikochi, Ramagasa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the go...

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聖徳太子神社

Nagano

Oinari

The Shoenkanji Temple, located in the town of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, is dedicated to Oinari-s...

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七瀬八幡社

Nagano

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, 七瀬八幡社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Hach...

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原町稲荷社

Nagano

Inari

Original Town Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the goddess of rice and fertility in the...

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上田大神宮

Nagano

Amaterasu Omikami, Sakamoto no Orochi

Located in the town of Okaya, Nagano Prefecture, 上田大神宮 is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines...

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千鹿頭山 先の宮

Nagano

Chikakubutsu-yama Sannō-ji is a Shinto shrine located in the Japanese Alps of Nagano Prefecture, ded...

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神田 千鹿頭神社

Nagano

Kankotou

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Shinjida Kankotou Shrine is dedicated to the worship o...

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廣澤寺

Nagano

Bishamon

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, 廣澤寺 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of long...

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自在天神

Nagano

Ryujin

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Zensha tenjin is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god...

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和泉原の八幡社

Nagano

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, Ando-no-Yashiro-hakusen no Hachiman-gu is an ancient Shin...

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大山祇社

Nagano

Susuwatari

Located in the heart of Nagano, Bigakasan Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god Susuwatari, a kami b...

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津島神社

Nagano

Inari Okami

Located in the town of Kiso, Nagano Prefecture, Tsushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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皇太神社

Nagano

Tenjin

Located in the Japanese Alps, the Imperial Grand Shrine of Takamagahara in Nagano Prefecture is beli...

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弥栄神社

Nagano

null

Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, Mitogori Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami...

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中越神社

Nagano

Mikata no Okami

中越神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, dedicated to the kami of t...

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桐原牧神社

Nagano

Kamaji

Tsurigata-jinsha Shrine, located in the town of Saizen-cho, Nagano Prefecture, is dedicated to Shint...

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養輝神社

Nagano

Nagi no Kami

Nagawatari Shrine, dedicated to the Shinto deity of rice, fertility, and prosperity, is a historic s...

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万刀美神社

Nagano

Murayama Shigenaga, Oe-no-Tsuruhime

Mandagawa Shrine, located in Nagano Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the legendary swords...

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金刀比羅神社

Nagano

Hachiman

Located in the Japanese Alps, Kinoshita Hachiman Shrine is dedicated to the god of war and fertility...

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庚申社

Nagano

Raijin

Located in the town of Agemochi, Shingen Shrine is one of Japan's most famous shrines dedicated to a...

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諏訪神社

Nagano

Ōyamatsumi

諏訪神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same name, believed to reside in the nearby...

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蚊田明神社

Nagano

Inari Ōkami

Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, 蚊田明神社 is a revered Shinto shrine dedicated to the ka...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.

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