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

伊勢大神宮

Akita

Ise Grand Shrine is located in Kurokawa, Mihara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, not Akita. However, t...

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伊勢大神宮

Akita

Ise Grand Shrine is the oldest and most revered Shinto shrine in Japan, located on the island of Hon...

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伊勢大神宮

Akita

Ōjin, Amaterasu

Ise Grand Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. Dedicat...

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天照皇大神

Akita

Amaterasu Ōmikami

The Tenmoku Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to Amaterasu Ōmikami, the Shinto sun g...

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青面金剛尊

Akita

Ao no Hime (Green-faced Princess)

Located in the heart of Akita, the Ao no Hime no Mikasa Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to...

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青面金剛尊碑

Akita

Hachiman-gu

Located in Akita Prefecture, the shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of war and prosperity, known...

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灯籠

Akita

Kunitsutsutsu no Okami

The Lantern Shrine in Akita Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fire and light, n...

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灯籠

Akita

null

Takagamine Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deities of agric...

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狛犬

Akita

Takamagahara

The Kijimai Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto god of hunting, Takamagahara, and...

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狛犬

Akita

Shikoku-fu-jū

The Shikoku-fu-jū (狛犬) Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto kami, a legendary dog...

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灯籠

Akita

Located in the city of Yonai, Akita Prefecture, the Torii Lantern Shrine is a small Shinto shrine de...

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灯籠

Akita

Inari

The Lantern Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Inari Okami. This...

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氏神様

Akita

Kami no Hito

The Shirakami Shintō shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the kami of the Shirakami Mountains....

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龍蛇神社 若木神社

Akita

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若木神社は秋田県の主な神社であり、歴史が深く豊かな文化を持つ。神社は、神宮式を取り入れた伝統的な造り...

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狛犬

Akita

The Shikoku no Kuni Inari Shrine in Akita is dedicated to the kami of fertility and prosperity, part...

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狛犬

Akita

Inari

Jigoku-jinja, a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, honors the kami of fire and evil spirits,...

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三吉大神

Akita

Located in the city of Akita, San-gi Daijin Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of industry and ag...

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灯篭

Akita

Tamayama-no-kami, Nakatuma-no-kami

Toriya Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the deity of good luck and prosperity, T...

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灯篭

Akita

Tōkatsu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fire and li...

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中村神社

Akita

Shinmeishinno

Located in the town of Sakata, Akita Prefecture, Shinmei-ji Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedic...

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三吉神社

Akita

Sanjigijin

Located in Akita Prefecture, Sanjigijinsha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good fortune...

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庚申塔

Akita

Raijin

The Dengen-ji Temple, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Shinto god of...

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庚申塔

Akita

null

Located in the heart of Akita, Sen no Rikyū is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to Sen no Sōsa, a...

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庚申塔

Akita

Sengen

The Gyōzen-ji temple in Akita Prefecture is home to the Shenchantō, a five-story pagoda dedicated to...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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