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.

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30,440 shrines found

赤神神社奥宮

Akita

Located in Akita Prefecture, the Akakami Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity o...

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赤神神社中宮

Akita

Susanoo-no-Kami

Akakami-jinja, a Shinto shrine in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the kami of fire and thunder. Lo...

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築地稲荷神社

Akita

Inari

Bunkyo Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of Inar...

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宮田稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Miyata Inari Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto temple dedicated to the worship of Ina...

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松ヶ丘稲荷大神

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in Akita Prefecture, Matsukagayama Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Okami,...

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福田稲荷神社

Akita

Fukutadahara Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Akita City, dedicated to the ka...

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熊野神社

Akita

Okunitama

Heikawa no Ōe Shrine, also known as Aomori-san, is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedi...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inari

Indra Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto deity Inari Okami, who presides over ric...

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神明社

Akita

Godai

Godai Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Godai, a kami a...

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熊野神社

Akita

Katsuragi Okami

Located in Akita Prefecture,熊野神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship of the god Katsurag...

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八幡神社

Akita

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Akita, Eight Horse Temple Shrine is a revered Shinto site that honors the le...

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熊野神社

Akita

Ryujin, Yatagarasu

Located in Akita Prefecture, 熊野神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the forest and the...

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菅原神社

Akita

Inari

Located in the Akita Prefecture,菅原神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Okami, the p...

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愛宕神社

Akita

Amaterasu Okami

Love Temple Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Amaterasu Okami. F...

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穀丁神明社

Akita

Ko-yama Tsuchi-no-Kami

Located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Kuuding Jinmeisha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the gods...

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唐松山神社

Akita

Ryujin

Located in the scenic Aomori Prefecture, not Akita, Tangoku Sanzan Shrine is a prominent Shinto site...

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若宮八幡神社

Akita

Inari

Located in the scenic Akita Prefecture, 若宮八幡神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the de...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the heart of Akita, Dewa Sanzan, the Iseya Inari Shrine is one of Japan's most famous Shi...

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神楽殿

Akita

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Godai-ji Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a sacred site revered by the local community for it...

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大山祇神社

Akita

Daizokuten

Located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Daizokuten Jinja is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to...

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七村稲荷神社

Akita

Kusunoki

Seven Villages Rice Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity of rice and agriculture, believed to bri...

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今木神社

Akita

Imogami

Imonogik神社, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the kami of a sacred cedar tree that once...

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鬼神神社

Akita

Ōyashiro-no-kami

Located in Akita Prefecture, 鬣神神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Ōyashiro- no-kami, a...

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兜神社

Akita

Tobu-shinja is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the god of the road and tra...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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