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
一戸町, 岩手県
Located in Iwate Prefecture, small Bird Valley Eight-High Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the...
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Iwate
Amaterasu Ōmikami愛宕神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Iwate Prefecture, dedicated to the kami Amaterasu Ōmikami. As...
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一戸町, 岩手県
御小性神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Iwate Prefecture, specifically in the town of Iwade, known...
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一戸町, 岩手県
JijinLocated in the scenic town of Iwate, Japan, Dayotsu Shrine is a beautiful Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Iwate
Susanoo/OtohimeLocated in Iwate Prefecture, Eight-Horned Shrine is one of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines, dedic...
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Iwate
Amaterasu OkamiLocated in the Tohoku region of Japan, Tsukasa Shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu Okami, the Shinto su...
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Iwate
Ryugu-ji Temple in Iwate is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Ryugu-no-kami, a local kami assoc...
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Iwate
Ozumo-yuugure-kamiKagamiyama Pharmacist Shrine is a small Shinto shrine located in Iwate Prefecture, dedicated to the...
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Iwate
Tsuchinokami FujinLocated in the city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture is not in Iwate but rather the closest correct one t...
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Iwate
Located in the scenic town of Totsukaido, Iwate Prefecture, Wanshindensha is a Shinto shrine dedicat...
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Iwate
Patsumyan Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Patsumyan, Iwate Prefecture, Japan....
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Iwate
InariLocated in the Tohoku region of Japan, 巽山稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Okami, the...
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Iwate
Ō no YoshitsuneTsushima Island Shrine, located in the Tsugaru Strait between Honshu and Hokkaido, is a significant...
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Iwate
Inari OkamiLocated in the coastal town of Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, 磯崎稲荷 Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto...
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Iwate
Rokuku-gamiRokku-ji Shrine in Iwate Prefecture is dedicated to small iron-shaped kami known as the Rokuku-gami....
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Iwate
Ai dateLocated in Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture, Ai date-ji Temple is a Shinto shrine that enshrines the kami of...
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Iwate
Ōno-mikotoLocated in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate, Daigandō-ji Temple is a historic Shinto shrine dedi...
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Iwate
Amaterasuómichi no KamiIndra Shrine, also known as Iwate's sacred site and the oldest Shinto shrine in Iwate Prefecture, da...
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Iwate
Hachiman盛岡八幡宮 is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture. As one of the oldest s...
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Iwate
HachimanLocated in the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Hatsukami Shrine is dedicated to the protection of...
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Iwate
RyujinLocated in the city of Matsue, Iwate Prefecture, Senkaku-ji Temple is a Shinto shrine dedicated to t...
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Iwate
Amaterasu OmikamiRespectfully known as the 'Sun God Shrine',住吉神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of the...
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Iwate
DaimyōjinLocated in the city of Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, Matsuzaka Daimyōjin Shrine is a Shinto shrine ded...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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