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
Kōno MikotoLocated in the Akita Prefecture, 才ノ神神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity Kōno Mikoto, a...
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Akita
Amaterasu ŌmikamiLocated in Akita Prefecture, the Shrine of Amaterasu Ōmikami is one of Japan's most revered Shinto s...
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Akita
Okami no MikotoAyatsuri Meisho no Okami is a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, dedicated to the deity of f...
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Akita
Susanoo-no-MikotoIse Grand Shrine, located in the Akita prefecture, is one of the oldest and most sacred Shinto shrin...
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Akita
Daimin DaikokutenLocated in the town of Hirosaki, Akita Prefecture, the Taiping-san-zan-machiyama-daimin Shrine is a...
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Akita
Ise Grand Shrine is located in Kurokawa, Mihara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, not Akita. However, t...
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Akita
Ise Grand Shrine is the oldest and most revered Shinto shrine in Japan, located on the island of Hon...
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Akita
Ōjin, AmaterasuIse Grand Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. Dedicat...
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Akita
Amaterasu ŌmikamiThe Tenmoku Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to Amaterasu Ōmikami, the Shinto sun g...
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Akita
Ao no Hime (Green-faced Princess)Located in the heart of Akita, the Ao no Hime no Mikasa Shrine is a revered Shinto site dedicated to...
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Akita
Hachiman-guLocated in Akita Prefecture, the shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of war and prosperity, known...
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Akita
Kunitsutsutsu no OkamiThe Lantern Shrine in Akita Prefecture is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fire and light, n...
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Akita
nullTakagamine Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deities of agric...
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Akita
TakamagaharaThe Kijimai Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto god of hunting, Takamagahara, and...
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Akita
Shikoku-fu-jūThe Shikoku-fu-jū (狛犬) Shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the Shinto kami, a legendary dog...
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Akita
Located in the city of Yonai, Akita Prefecture, the Torii Lantern Shrine is a small Shinto shrine de...
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Akita
InariThe Lantern Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Inari Okami. This...
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Akita
Kami no HitoThe Shirakami Shintō shrine in Akita Prefecture is dedicated to the kami of the Shirakami Mountains....
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Akita
The Shikoku no Kuni Inari Shrine in Akita is dedicated to the kami of fertility and prosperity, part...
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Akita
InariJigoku-jinja, a Shinto shrine located in Akita Prefecture, honors the kami of fire and evil spirits,...
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Akita
Located in the city of Akita, San-gi Daijin Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of industry and ag...
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Akita
Tamayama-no-kami, Nakatuma-no-kamiToriya Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is dedicated to the deity of good luck and prosperity, T...
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Akita
Tōkatsu Shrine, located in Akita Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami of fire and li...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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