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
Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture that venerates the powerful deities of the Kumano Sanzan, the...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the three principal deities of the Kumano mounta...
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Kumano Shrine
Kanagawa
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the powerful Kumano deities. Part of the extensi...
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Kumanojinja
Kanagawa
Susanoo-no-MikotoLocated in the city of Odawara, Kumanojinja Shrine is one of Japan's most revered Shinto shrines, de...
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Madoromi Shrine
Kanagawa
Madoromi-jinLocated in the city of Odawara, Madoromi Shrine is one of the oldest and most revered Shinto shrines...
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Maioka Shrine
Kanagawa
Local protective deitiesMaioka Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in the Maioka area of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture....
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Mimusubi Shrine
Kanagawa
OkuninushiMimusubi Shrine, located in the Kamakura region of Kanagawa Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto g...
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Minokasa Shrine
Kanagawa
A Shinto shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, named after traditional Japanese rain gear including...
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Mishima Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the mountain deity, following the Mishima traditi...
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Mishima Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the mountain deity, following the Mishima traditi...
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Mishima Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the kami of mountains and sea. Mishima shrines ar...
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Mishima Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the kami of mountains and...
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Mishima Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoMishima Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the deit...
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Mishima Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoMishima Shrine is dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the Shinto deity of mountains and sea. As part...
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Mitake Shrine
Kanagawa
Mountain deities and protective spiritsMitake Shrine is dedicated to mountain worship and the veneration of sacred peaks. These shrines typ...
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Mitsuishi Jinja Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, and Susanoo no MikotoMitsuishi Jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. The...
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Mitsumine Shrine
Kanagawa
A Shinto shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, sharing its name with the famous Mitsumine Shrine in...
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Miyamae Goryo Shrine
Kanagawa
Deified spirits of noble persons who died unjustlyA goryo shrine dedicated to pacifying the vengeful spirits of nobles who died under tragic circumsta...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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