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

神明社

Akita

Godai-ji, located in the scenic town of Akita, is a small but historic Shinto shrine dedicated to th...

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三吉神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Saniki-jinja Shrine is a historic Shinto temple dedicated...

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神明社

Akita

Susanoo no Mikoto

Located in the city of Akita, 神明社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of wisdom and knowledg...

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八幡神社

Akita

Fujin, Benzaiten

Located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Eight-Horned Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to...

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神明社

Akita

Goei

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

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追泊神社

Akita

null

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

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姥御前神社

Akita

located in the Akita prefecture, Iyori no Sato Shrine is dedicated to the kami of the region's rice...

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薬師神社

Akita

Yakushin

Kakunodate Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity of medicine, Yakush...

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白山神社

Akita

Inari

Located in the mountains of Akita Prefecture, White Mountain Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god I...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inakihime

Inakifuchi Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a prominent Shinto shrine dedicated to Inakihime,...

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三吉神社

Akita

Located in the historic city of Yonai, Akita Prefecture, Sanjigishinsha is a Shinto shrine dedicated...

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赤神神社

Akita

Akakami Okami

Akakami Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of fire, Akakam...

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三吉神社

Akita

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Sangetsu-jinja Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated t...

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熊野神社

Akita

Kamui

Kamui Jingu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of Mount M...

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宮比神社

Akita

Mikabe no Okami

Miyabi Shrine, located in the city of Yurihara, Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to th...

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八幡神社

Akita

Tenzai-inari

Eight-Horsemanship Shrine, a Shinto shrine in Akita Prefecture dedicated to the kami of good fortune...

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外の沢神明社

Akita

Raijin, Kamado, Utsukushima

Located in the city of Akita,外の沢神明社 is a small Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the natu...

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向達子神社

Akita

Ukai

Located in Akita Prefecture, 向達子神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the same name. T...

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男達子神社

Akita

Man no Mikoto

Located in the heart of Akita, male-only shrine, Man no Daidijinsha, is dedicated to the spirits of...

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古四王神社 例祭社

Akita

Hachiman, Okuninushi, Susanoo

Kyuubutsukuni no Mikoto Shrine, dedicated to the Three Kings of Ancient Japan (Hachiman, Okuninushi,...

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御蔵町稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Ōkami

Located in the heart of Akita's city center, Ōzaka-machi Inari Shrine is a prominent Shinto site ded...

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厳嶋神社 熱田神社

Akita

Jisabato no Kami and Hachiman

厳嶋神社 and 熱田神社 are two Shinto shrines located in the city of Akita, Japan. Both shrines are d...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inari

Located in Akita Prefecture, Iseya Inari Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the goddess of rice,...

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龍神社

Akita

Ryūjin

Located in the Akita Prefecture, Ryūjinsha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sea dragon kami, Ryūj...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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