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

能褒野神社

Shiga

Inari Okami

Kotohira-dera Kacho-in ability is known to be a source of purification and protection in the city of...

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市杵島神社

Shiga

Ōkuninushi

City Katsuyama Shrine, dedicated to the god of the sea and fertility, is located on a small island i...

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稲荷神社

Shiga

Amaterasu Omikami

Located in the city of Omiya, Shiga Prefecture, Katsura Jinja Shrine is dedicated to the sun goddess...

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愛宕神社

Shiga

Amaterasu Ōmikami

愛宕神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Echizen, Shiga Prefecture, dedicated to the deity Amaterasu Ō...

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毘沙門天

Shiga

Bishamonten

Mikoto no Yasu-maya Shrine, also known as Bishamon-jinja, is a Shinto shrine located in Hikone, Shig...

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榎木大明神

Shiga

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Matsuoka Daikinen Shrine in Shiga Prefecture honors Matsuoka Daikin, a legendary figure from Japanes...

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湯谷神社

Shiga

Ōtami

Yugawa Shrine, located in the picturesque town of Ryukōji in Shiga Prefecture, is a serene Shinto sa...

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東畑神社

相楽, 京都

Tobutsu-no-Kami

Located in the picturesque town of Katsura, Sagaru, in Kyoto Prefecture, East Pond Shrine (Tōbatsu-s...

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金比羅大権現

Shiga

Minamoto no Yoritomo

Located in the city of Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Kinryu Daimyojin is one of Japan's oldest and most fa...

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津島神社

Shiga

Otori Okami

津島神社 is a Shinto shrine located on Tsushima Island, Shiga Prefecture. The shrine is dedicated to...

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浅間社

Shiga

Inari

Located in the town of Naka, on the shores of Lake Biwa, Asahi no Soko Shrine is a Shinto shrine ded...

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琴平神社

Shiga

Okuninushi

Located in the city of Omi-Hachiman, Shiga Prefecture, Koben-jinja Shrine is a historic Shinto shrin...

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繁栄稲荷社

Shiga

Located in the city of Omi, Shiga Prefecture, 繁栄稲荷社 (Fukuzo Inari Shrine) is a revered Shinto s...

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少将井神社

Shiga

located in the city of Omiya, Shiga prefecture, Shōchū Izunagata Shrine is a small but significant S...

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土山神社

Shiga

Hachiman

Located in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Kusatsu-jinja Shrine is dedicated to the kami of f...

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藤阪菅原神社

Shiga

Lady Kaeko

藤阪菅原神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Katsuyama, Shiga Prefecture. Dedicated to the...

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糸吉神社

Shiga

null

Hosojigijinsha, located in the town of Echizen, Shiga Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to th...

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高天原本宮奥津宮神社

Shiga

Amaterasu Ōmikami

Otsu Shrine, dedicated to the deity Amaterasu Ōmikami, is one of Japan's oldest shrines, dating back...

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山乃神

Shiga

Daikokuten

Tsumago Shrine, located in the mountains of Shiga Prefecture, is dedicated to Kamakura Daikokuten, a...

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惟喬親王御陵

Shiga

Emperor Utsubo

Located in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, the Shrine of Utsubo Jo no Ō (Wakado no Ō) is a Shinto shrine d...

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白髭神社

Shiga

Kamikokuryou

Located in the picturesque town of Koka, Shiga Prefecture, White Beard Shrine (, Shiragami-jinja) is...

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若宮八幡神社

Shiga

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

若宮八幡神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture. Dedicated to the de...

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遥拝所

Shiga

Hachiman Okami

located in the Omi-Hachiman region of Shiga Prefecture, the Omi Hachiman Shrine is dedicated to Hach...

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犬胴松

Shiga

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, 犬胴松 Shrine is dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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