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
Iwate
Matsushima-kuonjiMatsushima-kuonji, the deified spirit of Mount Matsushima and its surrounding islands, is enshrined...
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Iwate
Amaterasu愛宕神社, located in Iwate Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, with a history datin...
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Iwate
Ōdama no OkamiLocated in the city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture's neighboring prefecture Iwate has a branch of this...
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Iwate
Ōmi-no-KamiLocated in the coastal town of Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture, Sea Child Shrine is a historic Shinto temple...
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陸前高田市, 岩手県
Shima-OkamiLocated in the coastal town of Landseutel, the Matsumae Jishu Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Iwate
nullMori no Kane Shrine, located in Mutsu city, Iwate prefecture, is a Shinto shrine that enshrines the...
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Iwate
RyujinThe Iwate shrine, dedicated to Ryujin, the Shinto god of the sea and storms, was built in 1692 to pr...
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Iwate
Located in the Mutsu region of Iwate, 立願山神社 (Ryōgan-san Shrine) is a Shinto shrine dedicated...
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Iwate
FukutoshiThe惠比寿像 (Fukutoshi Shrine) in Iwate is dedicated to Fukutoshi, a kami associated with longevity...
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Iwate
藤原比古神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of the Mutsu region in Iwate Prefecture, Japan...
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Iwate
TametomoLocated in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of , who...
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一関市, 岩手県
nullLocated in the city of Iwate, Matsuzawa Shrine has a long history dating back to the Edo period. As...
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Iwate
Inari OkamiLocated in the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, 熊野神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Oka...
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Iwate
nullZhangshan-oja is a Shinto shrine located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, dedicated to the worship of the...
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Iwate
InariLocated in the city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture's neighboring Iwate,稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine dedi...
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Iwate
Matsushita-kamiMatsuzaka Shrine, located in the scenic town of Matsushima, Iwate Prefecture, is a revered Shinto si...
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Iwate
HachimanLocated in the heart of Iwate, Shiroi-Tsurugi-mae Hachiman Shrine, or more commonly known as Kita-Ma...
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Iwate
The Ōtsuchi Shrine, located in Iwate Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity of good luck and p...
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Iwate
HimuroLocated in the Aomori Prefecture, but listed under Iwate, Eight Cloud God Shrine is a Shinto temple...
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Iwate
Mustaghazanest Shrine is located in Aomori Prefecture and is dedicated to the Shinto god of agricult...
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Iwate
Gozaka Inari Shrine, located in Mutsu city, Iwate Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the ka...
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Iwate
Ōtsukimi-himeLocated in the city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture was previously known as Mutsu, but has been renamed...
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Iwate
Fuinandō-ji, commonly known as 飯綱神社, is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Kesennuma, Iwate...
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Iwate
Otsuchi no KamiLocated in the picturesque town of Ichiban, Iwate Prefecture, Takeragoshi Shrine is a serene Shinto...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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