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
Funaki Gokoku Shrine
Yamaguchi
War dead and fallen soldiersFunaki Gokoku Shrine is a war memorial shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to honoring the spir...
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Funashima Shrine
Yamaguchi
A Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, whose name suggests a connection to boats or mariti...
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Furimatsu Shrine
Yamaguchi
A Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, known by its distinctive name which incorporates th...
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Gion Shrine
Yamaguchi
Susanoo-no-MikotoA Gion shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, part of the network of shrines associated with Yasaka...
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Goshobara Daijingu
Yamaguchi
Amaterasu OmikamiGoshobara Daijingu is a Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the su...
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Hakucho Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin and Yamato Takeru no MikotoHakucho Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin and the legendar...
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Hakusan Hokawa Shrine
Yamaguchi
Shirayama-hime-no-MikotoA local Hakusan shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the white mountain deity Shirayama-hime-...
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Hiruko Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hiruko-no-mikoto (Ebisu)A Shinto shrine dedicated to Hiruko-no-mikoto, who is identified with Ebisu, the deity of fishing, c...
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Hisatomi Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hondawake no Mikoto)Hisatomi Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, dedicated to the deified E...
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Hitsushima Hachiman Shrine
Yamaguchi
HachimanHitsushima Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, dedicated to the de...
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Hiyoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Oyamakui-no-kamiHiyoshi Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the mountain deity Oyamakui-no-kami, part of the broa...
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Hiyoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Oyamakui-no-kamiA Hiyoshi shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the protective deities of Mount Hiei. Like oth...
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Hiyoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Oyamakui-no-kamiHiyoshi Shrine is dedicated to the mountain deity Oyamakui-no-kami and serves as a branch of the pro...
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Hofu Tenmangu
Yamaguchi
Sugawara no Michizane (Tenjin)One of Japan's three major Tenmangu shrines, Hofu Tenmangu is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, th...
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Iiyama Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman, deity of war and divine protectionIiyama Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin...
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Ima Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hondawake no Mikoto)A Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated with...
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Inari Daimyojin Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiA local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami, the Shinto deity of rice, agr...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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