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

松源寺

Nagano

Mt. Suwa

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Matsugō-ji Temple is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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shinto

高鳥屋神社里宮

Nagano

Tsukuyomi-no-kami

High Priest's Shrine, located in the heart of the Japanese Alps, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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池伴場池大明神

Nagano

Located in the Japanese Alps, Pool Village Shrine honors the god of rice, prosperity, and good harve...

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稲向太元神社

Nagano

Tenman

The Shitennō-ji temple in Nara was an influence on the construction of several shrines in Japan, inc...

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松川神社

Nagano

Located in the scenic prefecture of Nagano, Matsukawa Shrine is a revered Shinto site nestled amidst...

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大権現

Nagano

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Big Ben is actually the clock tower of Buckingham Palace, located in London, England. It was designe...

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駒草神社

Nagano

Suwa no Okami

Located in the town of Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Suwa Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and most revere...

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かえる大明神

Nagano

Kagebishi no Kami

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Kagebishi Dai Jingū Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto...

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梅戸神社

Nagano

Ooe no Yasuie

Meibodou Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Kakunodate, Nagano Prefecture, dedicated t...

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大宮七窪神社

Nagano

大宮七窪神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Nagano Prefecture, dedicated to the worship of the kami,...

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芝宮神社

Nagano

Oya no Kami

Located in the heart of Japanese Alps, Shibamata Shrine is a serene Shinto temple dedicated to the k...

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古峰神社

Nagano

Inari Okami

Located in the Japanese Alps, the ancient Old Peak Shrine in Nagano Prefecture is dedicated to Inari...

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鎌場神社

Nagano

Ōkami

Located in the town of Matsumoto, Ōmachi Shrine (also known as Kamagawa-jinja) is dedicated to Ōkami...

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日方磐神社

Nagano

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Dayō Hasegijinsha is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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山祇神社

Nagano

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Mount Nyoin Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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諏訪神社

Nagano

Okuninushi

The shrine is dedicated to the Shinto kami of the village of Murayama, located near the source of th...

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石上神社

Nagano

Ishikawa no Okami

Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, Ishikawa no Okami Shrine is a lesser-known Shinto shrine...

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遠山八幡神社

Nagano

Hachiman Okami

Located in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano, Ryōman Hachiman-gū is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...

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白山権現神社

Nagano

Akaishi

White Mountain Shrine, dedicated to the deity of the sacred mountain Akaishi in Nagano Prefecture, i...

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平澤山神社

Nagano

Enma

Located in the heart of the Japanese Alps, the平泽山神社 shrine is a sacred site nestled among the m...

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墨坂神社鳥居

Nagano

Hachiman

located in the town of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Matsukawa-zaka Shrine is dedicated to the Shint...

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天満宮

Nagano

Inari

Tenshū-myō is a Shinto shrine in the city of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, dedicated to the god of p...

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西宮神社

Nagano

Amaterasu

Located in the heart of Nagano,西宮神社 is one of Japan's oldest shrines, dating back to the 7th cen...

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深田稲荷社

Nagano

Inari Okami

Deepida Inari Shrine, located in the town of Oku Izuno in Nagano Prefecture, is a well-known Shinto...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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