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

天照皇大神宮

Akita

Tsukuyomi

Located in Akita Prefecture, Tsukushi no Okami no Miyabijima Shrine is dedicated to Tsukuyomi, the S...

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暁神社

Akita

Tempusu

Tempusu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the deity Tempusu, who is believed to p...

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高梨神社

Akita

Ryujin

Highly respected Shinto shrine located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, known for its beautiful arc...

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小林神社

Akita

Shishinmaru Okami

Tucked away in the mountainous region of Akita Prefecture lies the historic Shiroishi Shrine, dedica...

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横山神社

Akita

Yakizakamori

Located in the heart of Akita, Yokozawa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Yakizakamori...

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山神社

Akita

Ryujin

Located in the heart of Akita, Yamagami Shrine is a serene Shinto sanctuary that honors the kami of...

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八大龍神大神

Akita

Otohime

Located in the Akita Prefecture, the Eight Great Dragons of Heavenly Dragon deity shrine is a Shinto...

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今宮神社

Akita

Hachiman Okami

Imamigashi Shrine, located in the heart of Akita City, is dedicated to the worship of the kami Inari...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Susanoo

Indra Shrine, dedicated to the Shinto god Susanoo and protector of grain, is a sacred site in Akita...

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伊豆神社

Akita

Inari

Located in the city of Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture, Izudosa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...

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八幡神社

Akita

Fujin Ryujin

Located in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, Eight Horses Temple Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedica...

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馬川神社

Akita

Marakanawa no okami

Marakanawashina Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Akita City, dedicated to the worsh...

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山神宮

Akita

Yamabe no Okami

Located in the heart of Akita, mountainous prefecture,山神宮 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Yam...

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不動尊

Akita

Fudō Myōō

Notōdon, also known as Fudō Myōō in Japanese, is a prominent Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefectu...

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鹿嶋神社

Akita

Higokami

Located in the scenic Oirase Valley of Akita Prefecture,鹿嶋神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicat...

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無智大明神

Akita

Unen no Kami

The Unen no Kami Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the enshrined deity Unen no Ka...

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正一位立身稲荷神社

Akita

Shinboku no Kamihime

Established in 1557, Shinto Shrine for the First Position of Standing Firm Rice God in Akita Prefect...

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九右エ門稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the heart of Akita, the Kokuryū-mon Inari Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity Inari O...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inari

The Dewa Sanzan region, where the shrine is located, is a sacred area in Shinto mythology associated...

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神明社

Akita

Sengen Tenjin

Located in the heart of Akita City, Godai Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Sengen Te...

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八幡神社

Akita

Hachiman

Eight Horseshoe Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of fort...

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三吉神社

Akita

Kami: Sanbishi

Located in the prefecture of Akita, Sanbishi-jinja is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of prosp...

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菅原神社

Akita

Sakigami

菅原神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of Kami, ancestral...

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神明社

Akita

Godaikoku Tenjin

The Godaijingu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of Go...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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