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
Ainoshima Hachiman Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman (Emperor Ojin)A Hachiman shrine located on Ainoshima Island in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. As a typical Hac...
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Akasaki Shrine
Yamaguchi
A Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, serving the local community with traditional religi...
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Arakuma Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiArakuma Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prosp...
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Aso Hachiman Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman (Emperor Ojin)A Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated deiti...
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Atago Shrine
Yamaguchi
Kagutsuchi-no-MikotoA local Atago shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to fire prevention and protection. Atago shri...
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Atago Shrine
Yamaguchi
KagutsuchiA local Atago shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to fire prevention and protection. Atago shri...
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Benzaiten Shrine
Yamaguchi
BenzaitenA Shinto shrine dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of water, music, eloquence, and good fortune. Or...
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Chijin Daijin Shrine
Yamaguchi
Earth kami and local protective deitiesA local shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to earth deities and land spirits. The name Chijin...
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Ebisu Shrine
Yamaguchi
EbisuA Shinto shrine dedicated to Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods and the patron deity of fishermen, m...
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Eura Tenmangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Sugawara no MichizaneEura Tenmangu is a Tenjin shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the dei...
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Fukaura Hachimangu
Yamaguchi
Hachiman (Emperor Ojin)Fukaura Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emp...
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Fukue Hachiman Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionFukue Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, dedicated to the worship...
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Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiFukuoka Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Inar...
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Fukutoku Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiFukutoku Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the fox deity Ina...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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