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

十二社

Niigata

Inazuma-tsuchi-no-kami

Located in Niigata Prefecture, the Twelve Shrines Shrine is a Shinto temple complex dedicated to twe...

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十二社

Niigata

Hachiman

The Twelve Stations Shrine in Niigata Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the twelve deities...

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神明社

Niigata

Inari Okappi

Located in the heart of Niigata, godo-machi's Goda Shrine is dedicated to the god of agriculture and...

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七社神社

Niigata

Kanezume-Okami

Seijisha-jinja is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the gods of agriculture and fertility, located in the...

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諏訪神社

Niigata

Enma

Gosha Temple Shrine, located in the city of Niigata, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god Enma, a...

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十二社

Niigata

Hachiman, Tennin

The Twelve Shrine (, jūni-sha) in Niigata Prefecture is a historic Shinto shrine complex dedicated t...

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秋成神社

Niigata

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Akatsuru Shrine, located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Susano...

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中深見神社

Niigata

Located in the heart of Niigata, Chūsen-umi Jinja Shrine is a serene oasis that honors the kami of t...

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十二社

Niigata

The Twelve Shrine of Niigata, located in the prefecture's Kitakita district, is a Shinto shrine dedi...

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諏訪神社

Niigata

Musashi

The Shrines of Musashi is a small Shinto shrine in the city of Niigata, dedicated to the god Musashi...

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芦ケ崎神社

Niigata

Tobira no Kami

Located in the scenic Niigata Prefecture, 芦ケ崎神社 is a serene Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami...

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十二社

Niigata

Hokuto no Okami, Namahage no Kami, and others

Twelve Shrine, located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, is a revered Shinto site dedicated to twe...

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十二社

Niigata

The Twelve Deities Shrine, located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, is a sacred site dedicated to...

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十二神社

Niigata

Jishu

The Twelve Gods Shrine in Niigata is dedicated to the kami of the twelve zodiac animals, symbolizing...

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矢放神社

Niigata

Matsutake

Located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, Tatsuta-ga-ura Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to th...

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神明宮

Niigata

Tsukuyomi

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

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神明社

Niigata

Enmei

Located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, Godai Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami En...

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矢放神社

Niigata

Ryujin

Located in the city of Niigata, Japan, Hatsugayagahara Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the go...

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稲荷神

Niigata

Inari Okami

Ryukyu Shinto Shrine, located in Niigata Prefecture, is dedicated to Inari Okami, the kami of rice a...

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住吉神社

Niigata

Takamagahara Okami

Reshūji Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Matsukage, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Dedica...

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山王神社

Niigata

Yamahara no Okami

Located in the city of Kashiwazaki, mountainous region of Niigata Prefecture, Yamahara Shrine is a S...

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矢放神社

Niigata

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, Matsumoto Inari Shrine is one of Japan's most famo...

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熊野神社

Niigata

Noshio kami

Located in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture, 熊野神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of...

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八幡宮

Niigata

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Niigata Prefecture, Eight-Horned Shrine (Hachimangu) is one of Japan's oldes...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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