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

信仰碑群

Akita

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Located in the heart of Akita, Shinko Ibun is a lesser-known Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of...

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猿田彦大神碑

Akita

The Jishi-ten Hikoboshi Taisha, a Shinto shrine in Akita Prefecture dedicated to the god Jishu Ten (...

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南形稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in Akita Prefecture, Nambaga Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the primary kami o...

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ゆうゆう神社

Akita

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Yūyū Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the worship of Yūyū no Okami, a Shinto deity believe...

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御嶽神社

Akita

Tobitsura

Tobitsura Shrine, also known as Ohirayama no Tsukasa or Otsuya Shrine, is a Shinto shrine located in...

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下日枝神社エリア

酒田市, 山形県

Kamaitachi

Located in the heart of Yamagata Prefecture, 下日枝神社エリア is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the wo...

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光丘神社

酒田市, 山形県

Tamayamagatsumiya Kamui

Located in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture, Hikawa Shrine is dedicated to the god of rice, wate...

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鶴潟神社

Akita

Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Ietsugu-Okami

Located in the Akita Prefecture, 鶴潟神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sea god Susanoo-no-Mik...

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鳥海山大物忌神社

Akita

Kamikaze Okami

Located in the town of Minamiokita, Akita Prefecture, Bird Island Mountain Daimyōjin Shrine is a Shi...

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両津八幡神社

Akita

Hachiman

Located in the heart of Akita, Ryutsu-Oharibe Hachiman-gū is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to t...

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御滝神社

Akita

Located in the heart of Akita, 御滝神社 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the water spirit ka...

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賀茂神社

Akita

Gamo-no-kami, Hachiman

Gamo-gawa Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the deity of the Gamo River and its surrounding...

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熊野神社

Akita

Hachiman

Hachinosato Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is one of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines and a...

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古四王神社

Akita

Gokotsukunohikoboshi

The Gogoku-ji Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the four ancient kings of Japan, known as t...

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日吉八幡神社

Akita

Hachiman, Yamabiko, Okami, Utsutsi

Located in Akita Prefecture, Dayu Hachiman-jinja Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of war and wi...

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shinto

福一満星辻神社

Akita

Nagasawa no kami

Fukunagasanzenryu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the gods of a...

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招福稲荷神社

Akita

Fukumitsu-no-kami

招福稲荷神社 is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the kami of good fortune a...

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保量神社

Akita

Makoto no Ōkami

Located in the heart of Akita, Presentation of Shinto deity in Japanese - Makoto no Ōkami no Mika no...

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鹿嶋神社

Akita

Kamui

Located in the scenic Akita prefecture, 鹿嶋神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the revered kami of...

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宇津巻天神社

Akita

Mount Utsunomiya's kami

Located in the Akita Prefecture, Utsunomiya Volcano Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity...

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天保無縁塚

Akita

The Tenpō Muzen-ji Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of f...

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地主稲荷神社

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the Akita Prefecture, Iseya Inari Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the worship of I...

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明田稲荷大明神

Akita

Inari Okami

Located in the city of Akita, 明田稲荷大明神 (Meigetsu Inari Taisha) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...

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三輪神社・白山神社

Akita

Yamatsumi

The Ryounen Shinto Shrine in Aomori, not to be confused with the Shirohachi, is not relevant here; t...

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Browse shrines by prefecture

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

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