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
Akita
Oho no Kamikami, Kaminarimonogatari no KamiOne-day City Shrine, located in the heart of Akita city, is dedicated to the Shinto deities Oho no K...
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Akita
Tsukiyomi and Kamo no OtohimeLocated in the heart of Akita City, Eight Humps Rice Granary Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicat...
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Akita
HachimanLocated in Akita Prefecture, 大野台金泽八幡神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god Hachiman, pa...
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Akita
MichizaneOutō-dan Shrine, located in the mountains of Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god of agr...
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Akita
Bishamon TenjinLocated in Akita Prefecture,若宮八幡神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Bishamon...
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Akita
OkageThe Okage-yokocho Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the god of food, Okage, and the god of...
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Akita
Shitennō-ji-gokokuinThe Shitennō-ji in Akita is a historic Shinto shrine that has been an important site of worship sinc...
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Akita
InariLocated in the city of Akita, Akita-dera Inari Shrine is one of Japan's oldest shrines dedicated to...
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Akita
Inari OkamiSnake's Ridge Inari Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of...
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Akita
Three-jigashi ( San-jigashi)Located in the heart of Akita, three-jigashi-shinsha tsuho-hon-miya is one of Japan's oldest and mos...
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Akita
SanbijiSanbiji-daikami Shrine, located in the heart of Akita Prefecture, is a revered Shinto site dedicated...
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Akita
Three Saints (Sakigami), Kamo no Chōmei, and Tachibana no MinamotoLocated in the heart of Akita City, Three Saints Shrine is the main branch of the Shiroishi Three Sa...
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Akita
Inari ŌkamiMasakubōrō Inari Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari Ōkami, t...
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Akita
InariJinsei Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the enshrined deity Inar...
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Akita
null新川公民館 Shrine is a small Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of the...
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Akita
RyujinLocated in the city of Akita, Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good fortune and prosperity. Th...
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Akita
SōjinLocated in the heart of Akita, Matsuo Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to the kami of the f...
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Akita
Ai no TsurugiAi Date Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of love and wisdom, Ai no Tsurugi, located...
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Akita
Tengu no KamiGodai-ji Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of good luck,...
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Akita
Godai Shinto Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in the heart of Akita City, dedicated to the...
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Akita
nullLocated in the heart of Akita, this shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to , the patron deity...
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Akita
TsukasaLocated in the heart of Akita Prefecture, Tsukasa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of...
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Akita
Ōtami-no-KamiTonguden-jinja is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the gods of the sea and fishing in Akita Prefecture....
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Akita
Kumano okamiKumano Taisha, also known as Kumano Hongu Taisha, is a Shinto shrine located in the Kumano region of...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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