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
Iwasaki Hachiman Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionIwasaki Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Em...
View shrine →Iwata Hachiman Shrine
—
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman no Kami)Iwata Hachiman Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the deified Emperor Ojin who serves...
View shrine →Iwato Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman (Emperor Ojin)Iwato Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin...
View shrine →Kabuto-yama Hachimangu Shrine
—
Hachiman (god of war and divine protection)Kabuto-yama Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated dei...
View shrine →Kainan Shrine
Kanagawa
Hachiman (god of war and divine protection)Kainan Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Miura, Kanagawa Prefecture, overlooking Sagami...
View shrine →Kainan Shrine
Kanagawa
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Kainan Shrine is a prominent Hachiman shrine located in Miura, Kanagawa Prefecture, situated on a hi...
View shrine →Kajitani Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
Hachiman, deity of war and divine protection View shrine →Kajiya Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman no Kami)A local Hachiman shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associated deit...
View shrine →Kameoka Hachimangu
Kanagawa
HachimanKameoka Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the divine spiri...
View shrine →Kameoka Hachimangu Shrine
Kanagawa
Hachiman, god of war and protector of JapanKameoka Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin...
View shrine →Kameyama Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Chuai, Empress Jingu, Emperor OjinA historic Hachiman shrine located in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, situated on Mount Kameyama...
View shrine →Kanazawa Hachiman Shrine
Kanagawa
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionKanazawa Hachiman Shrine is a historic Hachiman shrine located in Kanagawa Prefecture, dedicated to...
View shrine →Kannoura Hachimangu Shrine
Kochi
Hachiman (God of War and Divine Protection)Kannoura Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, dedicated to the deified Emper...
View shrine →Karasu Shrine
—
Emperor Ojin (Ojin Tenno)Karasu Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Mie Prefecture, dedicated primarily to Emperor...
View shrine →Kasado Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Kasado Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located on Kasado Island in Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture....
View shrine →Katayama Hachiman Shrine
Gifu
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)Katayama Hachiman Shrine is a Hachiman shrine located in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin,...
View shrine →Kato Shrine
Kumamoto
Kato KiyomasaKato Shrine is dedicated to Kato Kiyomasa, the renowned daimyo who built Kumamoto Castle and ruled t...
View shrine →Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine
川越市, 埼玉県
HachimanLocated in the historic city of Kawagoe, Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine is a renowned Shinto shrine dedic...
View shrine →Kawai Hachiman Shrine
Nara
Emperor OjinA Hachiman shrine located in Nara Prefecture dedicated to Emperor Ojin and associated deities. As a...
View shrine →Kawanoe Hachiman Shrine
Hiroshima
Hachiman (god of war and divine protection)A Hachiman shrine located in Hiroshima Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin and associat...
View shrine →Kawawa Shrine
Kanagawa
Ōnamuchi-no-Mikoto and other deitiesKawawa Shrine is an ancient Shinto shrine located in Ninomiya, Kanagawa Prefecture, with origins tra...
View shrine →Kengun Shrine
Kumamoto
Emperor Ojin, Empress Jingu, Emperor NintokuKengun Shrine is a prominent Hachiman shrine located in Kumamoto City, dedicated to Emperor Ojin and...
View shrine →Kitaoka Shrine
Kumamoto
Hondawake no Mikoto (Emperor Ojin)Kitaoka Shrine is a historic Hachiman shrine located in Kumamoto, serving as one of the important sp...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
Ancient joinery techniques of Japanese master craftsmen
Directory of Japanese board games and traditional games
Japanese coffee culture — kissaten, third wave and brewing guides
Explore Japan's landmarks, shrines and hidden locations
SNES and Super Famicom collection tracker
Hoshi no Isan — a Japanese-aesthetic space RPG in development
Pixel art life sim MMO — start at zero, build your life
AI-powered educational stories for kids
Japanese-aesthetic design tokens & AI-ready UI prompts
Every day, one teaching. One moment of stillness.
Kanji, meaning, and a quiet reflection — rooted in the philosophy
behind Japan's forests, seasons, and sacred silences.