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
Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional shrine dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines t...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretism)A local Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines found thro...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A branch shrine of the famous Kumano Sanzan in Wakayama Prefecture, this local shrine brings the spi...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Amaterasu)A Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread network o...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture that enshrines the three principal deities of the Kumano...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional shrine dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture that enshrines the three principal deities of the Kumano faith. L...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA regional shrine dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines found throughout...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three primary deities of the Kumano faith. Like...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (Kumano deities)A Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the powerful Kumano deities. Kumano shrines are foun...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Amaterasu)A local shrine dedicated to the Kumano deities, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines fou...
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Kumano Shrine
Gifu
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the powerful kami of the Kumano mountains. Part of t...
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Kumataka Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari OkamiKumataka Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Inari Ok...
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Kunitama Shrine
Gifu
Kunitama no Kami (spirit of the land)Kunitama Shrine is dedicated to Kunitama no Kami, the protective deity of the local land and region....
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Kushiri Shrine
Gifu
A local Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding com...
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Kuzunoha Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Inari, associated with rice culti...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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