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
Giyosenju Shinsha is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture. The shrine is d...
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Akita
nullGoshinmei Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of Clear Wat...
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Akita
nullLocated in Akita Prefecture, Shinkansen-san Shrine is dedicated to the deity of good fortune and pr...
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Akita
Located in the city of Akita, Akita-no-matsuri-sha (Akita Shrine) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to th...
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Akita
Located in the town of Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture, Sanzaku-yama Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Akita
InariLocated in the city of Yurihara, Akita Prefecture, Sumida Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Ina...
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Akita
Takayama no OkamiLocated in the heart of Akita Prefecture, 貴船神社 (Takayama Shrine) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Akita
nullIwade-Mizu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Iwade-mizun...
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Akita
IndraThe Dewa Sanzan Akitsuminokami Jinja, or the Indra Shrine in Akita, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Akita
Ōgami-no-kamiLocated in the heart of Akita, 厳嶋神社 is a revered Shinto shrine that has been in operation since...
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Akita
YamatsumiThe Eight-Step Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the kami of the forest and the e...
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Akita
TamazunokamiLocated in Akita Prefecture, 屋敷神 Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good fortune...
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Akita
YatagarasuMiddle Mountain Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of agriculture, fertility, and prospe...
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Akita
BenzaitenKozen-ji Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Benzaiten, patron of...
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Akita
Godai Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of rice and ferti...
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Akita
Inari OkamiLocated in the heart of Akita, the Inari Shrine is one of Japan's most iconic and revered Shinto shr...
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Akita
InariLocated in Akita Prefecture, Iseya Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the rice goddess Ina...
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Akita
Located in Akita Prefecture, Guest Hall Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the kami of hospitali...
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Akita
Located in the heart of Akita, Tenjinsha is a serene Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of learning...
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Akita
GodaijinLocated in the city of Akita, Japan, the Godaijin Shrine is dedicated to Godaijin, a regional kami b...
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Akita
BenzaitenLocated in Akita Prefecture, 弁財天市杵島神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Baitensu, als...
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Akita
RōshiLocated in Akita Prefecture, Rōshinsha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Rōshi, a kami believed to bri...
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Akita
Inari OkamiThe Totetsu Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Akita Prefecture dedicated to the worship of Inari Ok...
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Akita
Ai-Takadatsumi-yamashiro no kami is the primary deity enshrined at Ai-Takadatsumi Yamashiro Shrine i...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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