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

神明社

Aomori

Located in the scenic Aomori Prefecture, Goda Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the kami...

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七面堂

Aomori

Ryujin

The seven-faced shrine, 'Nan'etsudō', in Aomori Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god o...

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稲荷神社

Aomori

Inari

Located in Aomori,稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the rice goddess Inari Okami. Built in 18...

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神明社

Aomori

Otohime

Godai Shrine, located in the heart of Aomori city, is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the deit...

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赤沼稲荷神社

Aomori

Inari

Akakawa Inari Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Okami, the...

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神明社

Aomori

Tsukuyomi

Located in the heart of Aomori City, Godai Shrine is dedicated to Tsukuyomi, the Shinto god of moon...

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高山岳神明社

Aomori

Iwaki-no-Kami

High Mountain God Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto kami of Mount Iwa...

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薬師神社

Aomori

Located in the heart of Aomori City, 薬師神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of medicine...

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八幡神社

Aomori

Hachiman-gu

The Eight-Horned Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a sacred Shinto site dedicated to the wors...

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八幡宮

Aomori

Ninigi no Okami

Eight-horned Shrine, dedicated to the god of fortune and prosperity, Susanoo no Mikoto's brother, Ni...

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愛宕神社

Aomori

Mimi no Oto

Ai Date Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto kami of love, fertility, an...

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八幡神社

Aomori

Hachiman-gu

Located in the heart of Aomori Prefecture, Eight Horses Temple Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedic...

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神明社

Aomori

Gami-san

Located in the heart of Aomori City, Godai Shrine (Gami), also known as Godaisha or Gami-san, is a h...

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神明社

Aomori

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

The Godai-machi Shinto shrine, or神明社, is located in the heart of Aomori city, the largest prefect...

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月夜見神社

Aomori

Tsukiyomi

Located in the northeastern prefecture of Aomori, Tsugaru Kashiyama-machi Moon Viewing Shrine is a s...

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神明社

Aomori

Tatsu no Mikoto

Tatsu no Mikoto Shrine, also known as Godai-jinja or Godai-machi Hachiman, is a Shinto shrine locate...

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八幡神社

Aomori

Hachiman Okami

Located in the city of Aomori, Eight-Horned Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good...

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神明社

Aomori

Amaterasu

Ganmei-ja Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of the sea...

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大披稲荷神社

Aomori

Hachiman

大披稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Aomori Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of agriculture a...

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日暮神社

Aomori

Dayō

Located in the northernmost part of Honshu, Dayō-jinsha Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the g...

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神明社

Aomori

Located in Aomori Prefecture, Iwaki Okura Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity Iwakizushi, which...

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観音堂

Aomori

Kannon

Located in Aomori Prefecture, 観音堂 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Bodhisattva of Compassion,...

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四羽出稲荷神社

Aomori

Matsuhime

Located in the city of Aomori, Shitakai no Imai Shrine is dedicated to the kami of a legendary white...

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三吉神社

Aomori

Located in the city of Aomori, in the northernmost part of Japan's Honshu island, 三吉神社 is a Shin...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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