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

三内八幡宮

Aomori

Okappus

Threeinneright Temple is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of the sea, Okappus, and the patron de...

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神明宮

Aomori

Godai Bokkuhin no kami

Godai Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god of agriculture and fertil...

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灯篭

Aomori

Kappa

Located in Aomori Prefecture,燈篭 Shrine is a small Shinto temple dedicated to the local deity Kappa...

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灯篭

Aomori

Ryūjin, Shio Kami, Tsumiko

Tōkatsu Shrine in Aomori Prefecture is dedicated to the Sea God, Ryūjin, and the kami of the sea, su...

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狛犬

Aomori

Tamayama no Mikoto

Located in the city of Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, the Houtou Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto kam...

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車祓所

Aomori

Inari

Located in the Aomori Prefecture,車祓所 (Chū Purōso) is a Shinto shrine that plays an important role...

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切り株型の手水舎

Aomori

null

Located in Aomori Prefecture, the Kiri-zuka-ha Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of th...

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湯殿山 十和田分社

Aomori

Tenashi

Tenmyozan Tenashi is a Shinto shrine located in Aomori, Japan, dedicated to the Kami of agriculture...

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八幡宮

Aomori

Located in Aomori Prefecture, Eight Samurai Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the lege...

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清水川八幡宮

Aomori

Hachiman

Located in Aomori Prefecture, 清水川八幡宮 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of the sea, Hachi...

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弁財天宮

Aomori

Benzaiten

Located in the scenic Aomori Prefecture, 弁財天宮 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Benzaiten, the god...

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神明宮

Aomori

Ryujin

Located in the Aomori Prefecture, Shinmei-ji Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fert...

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三吉神社

Aomori

Kami of the Ocean

Located in the heart of Aomori Prefecture, Sanagi-jinsha Shrine is a lesser-known Shinto shrine dedi...

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石碑

Aomori

null

Located in the heart of Aomori City, Shrine of the Stone Monument is a historic Shinto shrine dedica...

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今木神社

Aomori

Imonogi

Imonogi Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of forests an...

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神馬像

Aomori

Unknown

Located in the heart of Aomori, Shinto shrine 'god cow image' is a humble yet significant site dedic...

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太平山碑

Aomori

Ebisu

Located in the heart of Aomori City, Taiping-san Ibuki Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the go...

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太平山

Aomori

null

Located in the heart of Aomori Prefecture, Taipo-san Shrine is a tranquil Shinto sanctuary dedicated...

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金精様

Aomori

Ryujin, Inari

The Kinryu-ji shrine in Aomori Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto god of the sea, Ryujin, and the...

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木曽吉山 三吉神社

Aomori

Sanji

Located in the Tatsugi District of Aomori Prefecture, Shintojiyamasan Sanjishinsha is a lesser-known...

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太平山

Aomori

Oodama

Located in the beautiful Aomori prefecture, Taiping-zan Shrine is a sacred site nestled within the T...

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白峯宮

Aomori

Fujin

Whitewater Temple Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to the worship of Fujin, the Sh...

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田代山

Aomori

Tadayama Shrine, located in Aomori Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fertility...

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鍾馗様

Aomori

Riuhōjin

Located in Aomori Prefecture, 鍾馗様 Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity Riuhōjin, a kami associ...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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