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.

30,440 shrines found

那伊鎌社

Shiga

Yatagarasu

Thatamagasa Shikemizu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. I...

View shrine →

八幡社

Shiga

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Eiheiji Temple grounds, Eight Horseshoe Shrine (Hachi-Oh-Eiji) is a revered...

View shrine →

夷社

Shiga

Yamatsumi

The shrine of Yoshitsune, a legendary samurai and statesman, is located in Shirako-cho, Shirakawa-gu...

View shrine →

松童社

Shiga

Ryūjin

Located in the city of Omiya, Shiga Prefecture, Matsudo no Koya Shrine is a tranquil Shinto shrine d...

View shrine →

若松社

Shiga

Okuninushi-no-kami

Located in the town of Nagahama,若松社 shrine is a historic Shinto site that dates back to the Heian...

View shrine →

今雄社

Shiga

Lion (Takamagahara), Imasumi

Located in the city of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture, Imayo-sha Shrine is dedicated to the kami of good...

View shrine →

安麻神社

Shiga

Anami-no-kami

Anamashi Shrine, located in the town of Yashiro, Shiga Prefecture, is a lesser-known yet charming Sh...

View shrine →

御靈社

Shiga

Atago

Tenshukaku-ji, also known as Ōtani Shrine, is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Kozu, Shiga Pre...

View shrine →

早鳥社

Shiga

Hikoboshi

Early Bird Shrine in Shiga Prefecture, dedicated to the Shinto goddess of longevity and prosperity,...

View shrine →

福部社

Shiga

Inari

Fukube Shrine, located in the scenic town of Maibara in Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to Inari Okam...

View shrine →

荒神社

Shiga

Inari

Located in the city of Nagahama, Okano Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of rice, water...

View shrine →

貴布禰社

Shiga

Located in the city of Echizen, Fukui Prefecture was moved to its current location in Shiga Prefectu...

View shrine →

高千穂社

Shiga

Hikokurōjin

Highakunemachi Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, dedicated...

View shrine →

吉備大臣社

Shiga

Located in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, the Gyubei Taishōsha Shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Oshin...

View shrine →

大門社

Shiga

Hikone no Okami

Located in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Daimonsha Shrine is a prominent Shinto site that ha...

View shrine →

太宰少貳社

Shiga

Located in the city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, Taikūshōtoku-ji is a Shinto shrine dedicated to t...

View shrine →

寛算社

Shiga

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Koto, Shiga Prefecture, Shinyasansha Shrine is dedicated to the god of agricu...

View shrine →

崇道天皇社

Shiga

Seiwa

The Shodo Tenno Shrine in Shiga Prefecture is dedicated to the imperial ancestors of Japan's emperor...

View shrine →

文大夫社

Shiga

Susanoo

Located in the city of Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, the Textile Hall Shrine (Kunasan-gū) is one of Japan'...

View shrine →

橘逸勢社

Shiga

Inari

Orugawa Ise no Miyako Shrine, located in the town of Katsuyama in Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to...

View shrine →

櫻葉社

Shiga

Hachiman no Okami

Goshu-senji Temple, also known as Katsuragi Shrine, is a Shinto shrine located in Shiga Prefecture....

View shrine →

淳仁天皇社

Shiga

Jinōen

Located in the city of Nagahama, Omi Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Jinōen, a legendary emperor who...

View shrine →

白大夫社

Shiga

Taka no Ichi

Located in the city of Echizen, Omi-cho in Shiga Prefecture, White Governor Shrine is a historic Shi...

View shrine →

老松社

Shiga

Okuninushi no Kamikaze

Old Cedar Shrine, located in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, is dedicated to Okuninushi no Kamikaze, a ka...

View shrine →

Browse shrines by prefecture

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

Japanese Culture Network

Japanese Wood Joints

Ancient joinery techniques of Japanese master craftsmen

ShrinePuzzle

Directory of Japanese board games and traditional games

Kohibou

Japanese coffee culture — kissaten, third wave and brewing guides

E2Japan

Explore Japan's landmarks, shrines and hidden locations

The 725 Club

SNES and Super Famicom collection tracker

Spaceship Adventures

Hoshi no Isan — a Japanese-aesthetic space RPG in development

Uptown Zero

Pixel art life sim MMO — start at zero, build your life

Book Fairy Tales

AI-powered educational stories for kids

CSSKitsune

Japanese-aesthetic design tokens & AI-ready UI prompts

Shinto Wisdom app icon
Free App · No Ads · Offline

Shinto Wisdom Daily Practice

by 10k Game Studio

Every day, one teaching. One moment of stillness.
Kanji, meaning, and a quiet reflection — rooted in the philosophy behind Japan's forests, seasons, and sacred silences.

結び Musubi 清め Harae 自然 Shizen 間 Ma 誠 Makoto + 45 more
Get it on Google Play