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
Chimori Shrine
Kumamoto
Local protective deityChimori Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture that serves as a guardian shrine for...
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Daijingu Shrine
Kumamoto
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and principal...
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Daijingu Shrine
Kumamoto
Amaterasu OmikamiA Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and supreme d...
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Ebisu Shrine
Kumamoto
EbisuA local Ebisu shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the fortune deity Ebisu, one of the Seven L...
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Ebisu Shrine
Kumamoto
EbisuA Shinto shrine dedicated to Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, revered as a deity of prosperity, f...
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Geba Shrine
Kumamoto
A local Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture whose name literally means 'dismounting shrine,' likely...
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Gion Shrine
Kumamoto
Susanoo-no-MikotoGion Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amateras...
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Hachiman Shrine
Kumamoto
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin, revered as the god o...
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Hachiman Shrine
Kumamoto
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the syncretic Shinto-Buddhist deity Hachiman,...
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Hachiman Shrine
Kumamoto
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionA Hachiman shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the worship of Hachiman, the Shinto deity of w...
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Hachiman Shrine
Kumamoto
Emperor OjinA Hachiman shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin. Hachiman shrines are...
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Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine
Kumamoto
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin, who is worshipped as...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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