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.
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
Nishino Hachiman Shrine
Wakayama
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionNishino Hachiman Shrine is a local Hachiman shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to the deified E...
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Niu Kariba Shrine
Wakayama
Niu Myojin (Niu deity)Niu Kariba Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to Niu Myojin, a local deity a...
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Niu Shrine
Wakayama
Niu Myojin (goddess of cinnabar)Niu Shrine is dedicated to Niu Myojin, the Shinto deity associated with cinnabar (mercury sulfide),...
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Okagawa Hachiman Shrine
Wakayama
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated deitie...
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Reisui Hachiman Shrine
Wakayama
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Reisui Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin...
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Sarutahiko Daijin Shrine
Wakayama
Sarutahiko Okami, the great guiding deityA Shinto shrine dedicated to Sarutahiko Okami, the deity of guidance, crossroads, and safe travel. S...
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Sarutahiko Shrine
Wakayama
Sarutahiko OkamiA Shinto shrine dedicated to Sarutahiko Okami, the deity of guidance, crossroads, and safe travel. S...
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Seitaka Inari Shrine
Wakayama
Inari OkamiSeitaka Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to the Shinto deity of...
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Shuttatsu Oji Site
Wakayama
A historic Oji shrine site along the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes in Wakayama Prefecture. This was...
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Susanoo Shrine
Wakayama
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the powerful storm deity and...
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Tamie Ebisu Shrine
Wakayama
EbisuTamie Ebisu Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to Ebisu, one of the Se...
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Tenjin Shrine
Wakayama
Sugawara no MichizaneA Tenjin shrine in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deified scholar and p...
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Tomioji Shrine
Wakayama
A Shinto shrine located in Wakayama Prefecture, serving the local community as a place of worship an...
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Urayasu Shrine
Wakayama
A Shinto shrine located in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to ensuring safe voyages and maritime prosp...
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Urayasu Shrine
Wakayama
A Shinto shrine located in Wakayama Prefecture dedicated to ensuring peace and tranquility in the lo...
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Urayasu Shrine
Wakayama
Deities of peace and safetyUrayasu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Wakayama Prefecture, dedicated to deities associated wi...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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