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
Kudamatsu Gokoku Shrine
Yamaguchi
War dead and fallen soldiersKudamatsu Gokoku Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to honoring the spirits of those who died in se...
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Kumano Shrine
Yamaguchi
Kumano Gongen deitiesA local Kumano shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture, part of the extensive network of Kumano shrines throu...
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Kumano Shrine
Yamaguchi
Kumano Gongen (manifestation of Buddhist-Shinto syncretism)A Kumano shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture, part of the widespread network of Kumano shrines throughout...
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Kumano Shrine
Yamaguchi
Kumano Sanzan deitiesA Kumano shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture that serves as a regional branch of the famous Kumano Sanzan...
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Masaki Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiMasaki Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the rice and prospe...
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Matsuo Hachimangu
Yamaguchi
Hachiman (Emperor Ojin)Matsuo Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin...
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Misaka Shrine
Yamaguchi
A Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, serving the local community with traditional religi...
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Mishima Shrine
Yamaguchi
Oyamatsumi-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Oyamatsumi-no-Mikoto, the deity of mountains and sea. Mishima shrines a...
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Mizugami Shrine
Yamaguchi
Water deityA Shinto shrine dedicated to water deities, reflecting the vital importance of water in Japanese agr...
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Murao Inari Shrine
Yamaguchi
Inari OkamiMurao Inari Shrine is a local Inari shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Inari Okami,...
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Nagano Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
HachimanA Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the syncretic Shinto-Buddhist deity Hachiman,...
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Nagata Shrine
Yamaguchi
A Shinto shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, serving as a local spiritual center for the surroun...
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Nakago Hachiman Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman, deity of war and divine protection View shrine →
Nakasu Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Hachiman, god of war and divine protectionNakasu Hachimangu is a Hachiman shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin...
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Noda Shrine
Yamaguchi
Mori TakachikaNoda Shrine is dedicated to Mori Takachika, the last daimyo of Choshu Domain and a key figure in the...
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Nogi Shrine
Yamaguchi
General Nogi Maresuke and his wife ShizukoA shrine dedicated to General Nogi Maresuke, the famous military commander who served with distincti...
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Oe Gongen Shrine
Yamaguchi
A local gongen shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture that represents the syncretic tradition of Shinto-Budd...
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Oshima Hachimangu Shrine
Yamaguchi
Emperor Ojin (Hachiman)A Hachiman shrine located in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to the deified Emperor Ojin. As a Hachim...
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Otoshi Shrine
Yamaguchi
Otoshi-no-kamiA Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Otoshi-no-kami, the deity of harvest and agricu...
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Otoshi Shrine (Amako Hime)
Yamaguchi
Otoshi-no-kami and Amako HimeA Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture dedicated to Otoshi-no-kami, the kami of harvest and New Yea...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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