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.

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30,440 shrines found

岩戸別神社

Akita

Located in Akita Prefecture, Hoto-kawa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity known as Kai...

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羽黒神社

Akita

Ryujin

Located in Akita Prefecture, Hoku Black Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the sea a...

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金毘羅大権現社

Akita

Kinryu

Located in the Akita Prefecture, the Kinryujo temple is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Kinryu, a Shint...

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正一位稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the heart of Akita City, Jitsuhime-mori Shinmei-ji is a revered Shinto shrine dedicated t...

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相染神社

Akita

相染神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, known for its traditional architecture and...

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太平山神社

Akita

Taiping Tenjin

Located in the heart of Akita, Taieizan Taippouji Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the k...

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蛭子神社

Akita

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Located in the Akita Prefecture,蛭子神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of fire, l...

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さよむしろ稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Sawayamishiro Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the Shinto d...

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火結神社

Akita

Located in the Akita Prefecture, Fire Seals Shrine is a Shinto site dedicated to the deity of fire a...

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火産霊神社

Akita

The Honjo Shrine in Akita is dedicated to the Shishigami, a water spirit and god of agriculture. The...

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神上明神社

Akita

Goei

Godai Mika no Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the god Goei, who...

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稲荷神社

Akita

Inakihime

Inakifūjin Shrine, dedicated to Inakihime, is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, established in 718...

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日吉神社

Akita

Raijin

Daytsuji Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the sky an...

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高尾神社

Akita

Tatsu no kami

Hightail Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirit of a fox or...

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里宮 拝殿

Akita

Ryujin

Located in the heart of Akita, Ri Miyagū Taijūden is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami...

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高尾神社 里宮

Akita

Sakigake-gami

High Tail Shrine, located in the heart of Akita city, is a sacred site dedicated to the worship of t...

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天照皇大神神社

Akita

Amaterasu Ōmikami

The Amaterasu Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Sun Goddess, a prominent Shinto deity....

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日吉神社

Akita

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Located in the heart of Akita City, Dayutsu-jin Shrine is a sacred Shinto site dedicated to the god...

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日吉神社

Akita

Tsukiyomi-no-kami

Dayotsu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the deity of agriculture and fertility,...

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沼田神社

Akita

Nagata Shrine, located in the city of Nagata, Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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太子神社

Akita

Ōnokuchi no Kami

太子神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of Ōnokuchi no Kam...

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種澤神社

Akita

null

Tsuwazawa Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a small Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the...

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熊野神社

Akita

Yatagarasu

Located in Akita Prefecture, 熊野神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of Mount Yari and the...

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乱馬神社

Akita

Ryūma

Ryūma Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to Ryūma, a Shinto deity associated with horses and th...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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