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
Sakawa Shrine
小田原市, 神奈川県
Sakae-no-KamiSakawa Shrine, located in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Kami of...
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Sanjinja
大和市, 神奈川県
Located in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Shinto Sanjinja Shrine is a serene oasis nestle...
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Shibararematsu
川崎市, 神奈川県
Located in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Shibararematsu Shrine is a small Shinto shrine dedica...
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Shimohara Tenmangu
海老名市, 神奈川県
Sugawara no MichizaneLocated in Kanagawa Prefecture, Shimohara Tenmangu Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara n...
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Soga Shrine
小田原市, 神奈川県
Soga no OsumeSoga Shrine, located in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Sog...
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Sumiyoshi Shrine
海老名市, 神奈川県
Sugawara no MichizaneLocated in Kanagawa Prefecture, Sumiyoshi Shrine is the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan and a sacred s...
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Takaishi-jinja Shrine
川崎市, 神奈川県
TakamagaharaiTakaishi-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, and is dedicated...
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Ten Shrine
小田原市, 神奈川県
Located in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Ten Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...
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Tsushima Shrine
真鶴町, 神奈川県
Shisa-dōjinTsushima Shrine, located in Kamakura Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sea and its bou...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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