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
Akita
Inari OkamiKusakabe Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Kusakabe, Akita Prefecture. Dedicated to t...
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酒田市本町, 山形県
Akibashi Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of rice and agriculture, located in Yuzawa,...
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酒田市上本町, 山形県
InariInagō-ji Shrine, located in the heart of Yamagata City's historic district, is a revered Shinto shri...
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酒田市上本町, 山形県
Okuninushi no KamitsumeAkibayashi Shrine, located in the heart of Utsunomiya city in Tochigi prefecture, is dedicated to th...
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Akita
HimikoSpring Day Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto kami of spring, fertility, and pros...
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Akita
HachimanThe Eight-Horse Temple Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is one of Japan's most famous Shinto shr...
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Akita
Okihaha no KamiLocated in Akita Prefecture, Okihausonsha Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of the sea and ferti...
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Akita
Located in Akita Prefecture, 鹿嶋神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Inazuma-Okami, god o...
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Akita
Inari OkamiShrines dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto god of fertility, rice, and industry, are common in Jap...
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Akita
Yatagarasu藥師神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the deity of medicine and heal...
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Akita
The Riisenzan Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the m...
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Akita
RyujinAkibayama Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity of rice fields and f...
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Akita
FutsunokamiImamagasa Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good fort...
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Akita
Ōkuninushi no KamiLocated in the city of Datsuno, Akita Prefecture, Principal Shrine's history dates back to the Edo p...
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酒田市, 山形県
Amaterasu ŌmikamiIzuhara Shrine, located in Yamagata Prefecture's Akita City, is one of Japan's oldest and most rever...
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酒田市, 山形県
Inari Okami, Okuninushi no KamiLocated in Yonagi Park, Ise Ryūkyō-sha is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. Built to commem...
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酒田市, 山形県
Inari OkamiIndra Shrine, located in Yamagata Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest shrines dedicated to the Shin...
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酒田市, 山形県
Inari OkamiFukurinbo Shrine, located in Iwate Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shin...
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酒田市, 山形県
InariLocated in the city of Zao, Yamagata Prefecture, FukuDoki Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated...
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酒田市, 山形県
AmaterasuLocated in the heart of Yamagata City, Izumo Taisha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Sun Goddess...
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Akita
RyujinThe Tenmachi Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good l...
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Akita
FourzuyaFourzuya Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Akita, dedicated to the kami Fourzuya, rev...
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Akita
RyūjinLocated in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Great Mountain Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine dedicate...
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Akita
GodaiGodaiyama Shrine, located in the Tsuruoka city of Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to Godai, a Shinto...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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