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.

30,440 shrines found

川留稲荷神社

Iwate

Inari Okami

Located in the Tohoku region of northern Japan, Kusunokawa Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated...

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川留稲荷神社

Iwate

Inari

Kawarida Inari Shinto Shrine, located in Iwate Prefecture, is a lesser-known but fascinating destina...

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大黒・恵比寿神社

Iwate

Ebisu

大黒恵比寿神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Iwate Prefecture, dedicated to the kami Ebisu, a god of...

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梅宮

Iwate

Inari

Located in the scenic prefecture of Iwate, 梅宮 Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god Inari Okami, p...

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八雲神社

Iwate

Eight Clouds Shrine is dedicated to Fujin, the Shinto god of wind, and Raijin, the god of thunder. It also enshrines Tsurugi-gami, a kami associated with agriculture and harvests, as well as other regional deities.

Located in the town of Ichinarigun, Iwate Prefecture, Eight Clouds Shrine is a lesser-known Shinto s...

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岩谷稲荷神社

Iwate

Inari

Located in the scenic Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, Haguroda Inari Shrine is a revered Shinto site...

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三ツ石神社

Iwate

Located in the Tohoku region of Japan, Sanetsu Ishi Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami...

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榊山稲荷神社

Iwate

Inari

Located in the mountains of Iwate Prefecture, Masuda-yama Inari Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated...

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かねつくり神社

Iwate

Tamayura-hime

Katsurigawa Shrine, dedicated to the kami of rice and fertility, is a historic Shinto site in Iwate...

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岩手山神社

Iwate

Hachiman Tenjin

Located in the mountainous region of northeastern Japan, the Haguro-san Shrine in Yamagata Prefectur...

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熊谷稲荷神社

Iwate

Ryujin

Heiwakei Shrine, located in the Heiwakei Village of Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine...

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浅岸薬師神社

Iwate

Seto Inari

Seto Inari Shrine, located in Iwate Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Seto Inari, the kami...

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新庄稲荷大明神

Iwate

Inari

Located in the Tono City of Iwate Prefecture, Shinden Inari Taisha is a revered Shinto shrine dedica...

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八幡住吉梅宮神社

Iwate

Tsukuyomi-no-kami

Eight-Horsetail Shrine, a Shinto temple dedicated to the god of good fortune and prosperity, located...

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朝香稲成神社

Iwate

Inari

Amashio Inari Shrine is a Shinto temple located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. The shrine is dedicate...

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智和伎神社

Iwate

Located in the heart of Mutsu, Aomori City, in northern Japan, 智和伾神社 (Shinwa Tsukigami Shrine)...

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金刀比羅神社

Iwate

Gold Sword

Gold Sword Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture, dedicated to Gold Sword dei...

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薬師神社

Iwate

Kinryu

藥師神社 is a Shinto shrine in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of healing and med...

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金刀比羅神社

Iwate

Miki-no-kami

Miki no Daito-hara Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Miki-no-kami, a kami of swordsmi...

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高松神社

Iwate

Highmatsumae Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, but it's also known a...

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茶畑大明神

Iwate

Located in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate, 茶畑大明神 Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity...

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十文字稲荷神社

Iwate

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Mutsu, Iwate Prefecture, 十文字稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the k...

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菜園えびす神社

Iwate

Located in the scenic town of Hiraizumi, Aomori Prefecture is not found, however, Hiraizumi, Iwate i...

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栄澤稲荷神社

Iwate

Hachiman

Located in the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture,栄泽稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the ri...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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