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
Nagoya Seimei Shrine
Gifu
Abe no SeimeiA shrine dedicated to Abe no Seimei, the legendary Heian period court astronomer, diviner, and onmyo...
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Nakagiri Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and polit...
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Nakamura Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and polit...
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Nakashima Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
HachimanNakashima Hachiman Shrine is a local Hachiman shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the Shinto war...
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Nakayama Shinmei Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiNakayama Shinmei Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the su...
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Nanasho Shrine
Gifu
Nanasho Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture whose name means 'Seven Places Shrine,' typical...
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Nangu Shrine
Gifu
Kanayama-hiko-no-mikotoNangu Shrine in Gifu Prefecture is the head shrine of all Nangu shrines in Japan, dedicated to the d...
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Nishikawa Shinmeisha Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiNishikawa Shinmeisha is a Shinmei shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun...
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Nishimachi Inari Hall
Gifu
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine hall located in the Nishimachi (West Town) district of Gifu Prefecture. As an I...
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Nishimachi Shrine
Gifu
A local community shrine serving the western district of its town, typical of neighborhood shrines t...
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Ochiai Shinmei Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiOchiai Shinmei Shrine is a Shinmei-type shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, th...
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Ogata Shrine
Gifu
fertility and agricultural deitiesA significant Shinto shrine in Inuyama, Gifu Prefecture, renowned for its fertility prayers and uniq...
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Oguchi Shrine
Gifu
A local Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, serving the spiritual needs of the surrounding com...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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