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
Soba Shrine
Gifu
Ancestral deities and local protective spiritsA local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to ancestral worship and community protection. Th...
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Suehiro Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari OkamiSuehiro Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prosperity...
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Suga Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoSuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and younger brother of...
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Suga Shrine
Gifu
Susa-no-O no MikotoSuga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Susa-no-O no Mikoto, the storm god an...
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Suhara Shrine
Gifu
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Suhara Shrine is a historic Hachiman shrine located in Mino, Gifu Prefecture. The shrine is renowned...
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Sukunahikona Shrine
Gifu
Sukunahikona-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto, a deity associated with medi...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine dedicated to the three sea deities known collectively as Sumiyoshi Sanjin. These...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three sea deities known as Sumiyoshi Sanjin....
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, traditionally revere...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
Gifu
Sumiyoshi Sanjin (three sea deities)A Sumiyoshi shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the three Sumiyoshi deities, traditionally associ...
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Susanoo Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the powerful storm deity and brot...
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Susanoo Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the powerful storm deity and brot...
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Susanoo Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and younger brother of Amaterasu in Ja...
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Suwa Shrine
Gifu
Takeminakata-no-KamiSuwa Shrine is a local branch shrine dedicated to the kami of Suwa Taisha, one of Japan's oldest shr...
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Suwa Shrine
Gifu
Takeminakata-no-kamiA branch shrine of the famous Suwa Taisha in Nagano Prefecture, dedicated to the warrior deity Takem...
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Suwa Shrine
Gifu
Takeminakata-no-MikotoA Suwa shrine dedicated to Takeminakata-no-Mikoto, the deity of hunting, warfare, and wind. Suwa shr...
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Suwa Shrine
Gifu
Takeminakata-no-mikotoA branch shrine of the famous Suwa Taisha network, dedicated to the warrior deity Takeminakata-no-mi...
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Suzu no Omae Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, known for its connection to bell-related rituals and cer...
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Tado Inari Shrine
Gifu
Inari OkamiTado Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami, the deity of rice,...
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Tado Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to local kami and serving the surrounding community wit...
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Taga Shrine
Gifu
Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-MikotoTaga Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the primordial creator deities Izanagi and Izanami. As o...
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Taiho Shrine
Gifu
A Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of local kami and serving the s...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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