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
Takahata Shinmeisha Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiTakahata Shinmeisha is a local Shinmei shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the...
View shrine →Takakamo Hachimangu Shrine
Gifu
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman no Kami)A Hachiman shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated deities. L...
View shrine →Takamu Shrine
Gifu
Local protective deitiesTakamu Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Gifu Prefecture, serving as a spiritual center for...
View shrine →Takarada Shrine
Gifu
Agricultural and prosperity deitiesA local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to agricultural prosperity and community well-bei...
View shrine →Takasu Tenmangu Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneTakasu Tenmangu is a Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deifie...
View shrine →Tazuru Shinmei Shrine
Gifu
Amaterasu OmikamiTazuru Shinmei Shrine is a Shinmei-style shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, t...
View shrine →Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and polit...
View shrine →Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified spirit of a 9th-c...
View shrine →Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneTenjin Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and politic...
View shrine →Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneTenjin Shrine is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified spirit of a 9th-century scholar, po...
View shrine →Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneTenjin Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and politic...
View shrine →Tenjin Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and poet...
View shrine →Tenmangu Shrine
Gifu
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenmangu shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and pol...
View shrine →Tenno Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoTenno Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm d...
View shrine →Tenno Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoTenno Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amatera...
View shrine →Tenno Shrine
Gifu
Gozu TennoA Tenno shrine dedicated to Gozu Tenno, a syncretic deity associated with plague prevention and puri...
View shrine →Tokunoutsushima Shrine
Gifu
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Tsushima shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the Shinto deity of storms and...
View shrine →Tomibe Shrine
Gifu
Hondawake no Mikoto (Emperor Ojin)Tomibe Shrine is a historic Hachiman shrine located in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. The shrine is dedi...
View shrine →Tomiyoshi Takehaya Shrine and Hachiken Shrine
Gifu
Takemikazuchi-no-kami and Takeminakata-no-kamiA combined shrine complex in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to powerful warrior deities. The shrine honor...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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