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

大作神社

Aomori

Located in Aomori Prefecture, Daisetsugan-sha Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity, Tamayamato no...

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掛泥神社

Aomori

Okuninushi

Totsukidake Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god of rice and agricul...

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三吉神社

Aomori

Sanji

Located in the city of Aomori, the Sanji Jishu Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Sanji...

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三八城神社

Aomori

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, San-8-jōsai-jinsha Shrine is one of Japan's mos...

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堰神社

Aomori

Baijin

Baijinsha, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Baijin, the god of rivers a...

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稲荷神社

一戸町, 岩手県

Inari

The Inasa Shrine, located in one-hodo town, Iwate Prefecture, is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated...

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西宮神社

Aomori

Amaterasu/Omikami (Sea Goddess) and Ryujin (God of Fertility)

West Miyagi Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sea goddess Am...

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稲荷社

Aomori

Inari Ōkami

Located in the city of Aomori, Indō-ji Temple is one of Japan's oldest and most sacred Shinto shrine...

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神明宮

Aomori

Located in the city of Aomori, Godaijingu Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Godai, a...

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法霊山 龗神社

Aomori

Lawa-yama

Located in the heart of Aomori, Hakusan Ryogen Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the m...

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藤ヶ森稲荷神社

Aomori

藤ヶ森稲荷神社, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the rice goddess Inari...

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天龍稲荷神社

Aomori

Inari Ōkami

Located in the scenic Aomori Prefecture, the Tenryu Inari Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of r...

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小田八幡宮

Aomori

Inari Okami

Located in Aomori Prefecture, 小田八幡宮 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the protection and blessing...

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川口神社

Aomori

Located in the Aomori Prefecture, 川口神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship of Utsukishim...

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八坂神社

Aomori

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Aomori City, eight-sacred-shrine (yatsuga-hachiman-zukuri) is a traditional...

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大祐神社

Aomori

Amaterasu

Located in the city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Daiojingu Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and m...

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八幡宮

Aomori

Hachiman

Located in Aomori Prefecture, Eight Horses Temple (Hachimangu) Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god...

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長者山新羅神社

Aomori

Ōkagami-kami

Longer Mountain New Chosun Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Aomori Prefecture, dedicated to the...

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御前神社

Aomori

Ōmikokuryō

Located in the Aomori Prefecture, Ōmae Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of education...

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熊野神社

Aomori

Nemuro Jishu Shrine, also known as Aomori Kannon Temple, is a Shinto shrine located in the city of A...

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四本松神社

Aomori

Ōkuninushi

The four-stem cedar shrine of Matsushima, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a sacred site dedicated t...

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浅間神社

Aomori

Ryujin

Aomori's Aomori Prefectural Shrine, dedicated to Ryujin, the Dragon God of the Sea and Storms, is on...

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龍興山神社

Aomori

Fūjin, Ryujin

Located in the beautiful Akita Prefecture, not Aomori (it's possible that is a typo), Ryongex Sangsh...

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高山神社

Aomori

Located in Aomori Prefecture, high mountain (高山) is a common term used to describe the region's ru...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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