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
Magowakamiko Shrine
Gifu
Magowakamiko-no-mikotoA local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Magowakamiko-no-mikoto. The shrine serves the...
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Maguro Shrine
Gifu
A local Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding com...
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Makino Shinmei Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiMakino Shinmei Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun...
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Mame Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
Hachiman (God of War and Divine Protection)A local Hachiman shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the divine spirit of Emperor Ojin and associ...
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Matsudaira Toshogu Shrine
Gifu
Tokugawa IeyasuA Toshogu shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, reflecting the connection between the Matsudaira and...
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Meiji Shrine
Gifu
Emperor Meiji and Empress ShokenA shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shoken, establish...
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Mihizuka Shrine
Gifu
Emperor NintokuMihizuka Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Nintoku, the legendary 16...
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Mikuriya Shinmei Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiA Shinmei shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and supreme deit...
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Mikuwa Shrine
Gifu
Deity of agriculture and farming toolsMikuwa Shrine is dedicated to agricultural deities and is particularly associated with farming imple...
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Mimo Shrine
Gifu
Emperor KeitaiMimo Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Keitai, the 26th Emperor of J...
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Mita Shrine
Gifu
Rice field and harvest deitiesA Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to agricultural deities, particularly those governing r...
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Miyoshi Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated deities. A...
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Miyoshi Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari OkamiMiyoshi Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Inari Oka...
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Mizukami Shrine
Gifu
Water deityMizukami Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to water deities. The shrine's name...
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Mofuku Shrine
Gifu
A local Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding com...
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Mononobe Shrine
Gifu
Nigihayahi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Nigihayahi-no-Mikoto, the legendary ancestor deity of the Mononobe clan...
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Morokane Shrine
Gifu
Metalworking and craftsmanship deitiesA Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, dedicated to metalworking and craftsmanship deities. The...
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Morowa Ontake Shrine
Gifu
Ontake-no-OkamiMorowa Ontake Shrine is a mountain shrine dedicated to the deity of Mount Ontake, one of Japan's mos...
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Munakata Shrine
Gifu
Munakata Sanjojin (Three Goddesses of Munakata)A branch shrine of the famous Munakata Taisha in Fukuoka, dedicated to the three sea goddesses who p...
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Munakata Shrine
Gifu
Munakata Sanjojin (Three Munakata Goddesses)A Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three Munakata goddesses, who are revered as pro...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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