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
Kimigasaki Inari Shrine
Kanagawa
Inari OkamiKimigasaki Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, dedicated to the Shi...
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Kiriwari Shinmei Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiKiriwari Shinmei Shrine is a Shinmei shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, t...
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Kitakanme Shrine
Kanagawa
A local Shinto shrine located in the Kanagawa Prefecture, serving the Kitakanme area community with...
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Kitakata Kotaijingu Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiKitakata Kotaijingu is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the su...
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Kogane Shrine
Kanagawa
A local Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to prosperity and good fortune, as suggested...
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Komagata Shrine
Kanagawa
Komagata OkadaLocated in the town of Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture, Komagata Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Ko...
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Komagata Swabe Shrine
Kanagawa
Located in the city of Odawara, Komagata Swabe Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of for...
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Komagata Tenmangu Shrine
Kanagawa
Sugawara no MichizaneKomagata Tenmangu is a Tenjin shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, representing a syncretic religious practice combinin...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A Koshin tower (庚申塔) is a stone monument associated with the folk religious practice of Koshin wo...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, representing a syncretic religious practice that com...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A stone monument dedicated to the Koshin faith, a syncretic religious practice combining Taoist, Bud...
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Koshin Tower
Kanagawa
A Koshin tower, a stone monument traditionally erected as part of folk religious practices combining...
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Kotohira Owashi Shrine
Kanagawa
Okuninushi no Mikoto and Yamato Takeru no MikotoA Kotohira shrine dedicated to the protection of seafarers and travelers, combining worship of Okuni...
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Kotohira Shrine
Kanagawa
Ōmononushi-no-KamiKotohira Shrine is dedicated to Ōmononushi-no-Kami, a deity associated with safe sea voyages, commer...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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