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

熊野神社

Niigata

Taro no Kami

Located in the heart of Japan's rugged Nikko region, Nanto Taisha, also known as Kumiko-san or Taro-...

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結東十二社

Niigata

Tennōkami no Kami

Located in the city of Niigata, 结东十二社 (Ketsudō Jūnikai) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the twe...

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結東不動尊

Niigata

Futsunomiya Hachiman

Ketsudo-dou noto-son Shrine, located in the Niigata Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity of...

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諏訪神社

Niigata

Enmei-sha

Located in the picturesque town of Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, Shrines to Tenno is home to the...

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逆巻十二社

Niigata

Ryūjin

Located in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture, Kokuryu Jūnisekū is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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結東風神

Niigata

Located in the city of Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, conclusion town of the wind god, the shrine is a...

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十二神社

Niigata

Fujin

Located in the scenic town of Minami-Niigata, the Jūni Jinsha Shrine is one of Japan's most ancient...

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諏訪神社

Niigata

Nenoko-no-kami

Temple of the kami who governs fertility, prosperity, and the spirits of the land in Niigata Prefect...

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矢放神社

Niigata

Located in the scenic town of Agematsu, Matsumo Jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the dei...

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船山神社

Niigata

Tako no Okami

Located in the city of Minami-Nakano in Niigata Prefecture, Ship Mountain Shrine is a Shinto shrine...

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上方神社

Niigata

Okuninushi and Inari

The Uppō-jinja Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the deity of the heavens, Okuninushi, and the...

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北野天満宮

Niigata

北野天満宮 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Tenman Okami, the god of learning and education, as well...

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赤沢神社

Niigata

Akazawa-kami

Akazawa Shrine, located in the Niigata Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine that honors the kami of the Ak...

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日吉神社

Niigata

Amaterasu Omikami, Inari Okami

Dayutsu-jinja Shrine, located in Niigata Prefecture, is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu Omika...

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十二八天宮

Niigata

The Twelve-Eight Heavens Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Niigata Prefecture, dedicated to the d...

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古峯神社

Niigata

Kamo-O-no

Anciently, the Higashi-Numabiki valley in Niigata Prefecture was revered as a sacred site for the in...

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神明宮

Niigata

神明宮, located in Niigata Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Amaterasu Ōmikami,...

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shinto

静田神社

新潟市, 新潟県

Benten-sama

静田神社, located in the heart of Shinjuku's Shitamachi district, is a historic Shinto shrine that h...

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天照皇太神宮

Niigata

Sugawara no Michizane

Located in Niigata Prefecture, Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of learning, literatur...

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稲荷神社

Niigata

Inari

Inzai Shrine, located in the city of Shiojiri in the prefecture of Niigata, is one of Japan's oldest...

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石動神社

Niigata

Jodai no Kami

The Jodai-ji Shrine, located in the Niigata prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of...

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八幡宮

Niigata

Fushimi Inari

Located in the city of Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, Eight Horseshoe Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicate...

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神明社

Niigata

Located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, Godai Shrine is dedicated to the god of agriculture and...

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神明神社

Niigata

Godaiyama Shrine, located in the city of Niigata, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of agricu...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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