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
Miyagi
Located in the Tohoku region of Japan, Zao Daikannon Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the Bodh...
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Miyagi
Tsukasa-no-kamiLocated in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Ōsa Tsukasa-taishō no Kami-hajime-gi is a Shinto s...
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Miyagi
IchikawaThis Shinto shrine in Miyagi Prefecture is dedicated to the kami of commerce and trade, believed to...
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Miyagi
Nadeishi Shrine, located in the town of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine that has b...
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Miyagi
Okuninushi-no-kamiAkibayama Shrine, dedicated to the god of rice and agriculture in Miyagi Prefecture, is a historic S...
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Miyagi
HachimanThe Omiya Hachiman Shrine in Saitama Prefecture, not the Miyagi prefecture counterpart '若宮八幡社',...
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Miyagi
HachimanLocated in the city of Higashi-Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, Ōzawa Hachiman-gu is a Shinto shrine d...
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Miyagi
Inari ŌkamiOuta Shrine, located in the city of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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Miyagi
RyujinLocated in the city of Ishinomaki,鹿嶋神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the water deity Ryujin an...
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Miyagi
TsukiyomiLocated in Miyagi Prefecture, Tsukiyomi-ga-Mi no-machi Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto god of the...
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Miyagi
FutsunooFuyutsu-no-Miyamachi Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the town of Higashi-Sanju, Miyagi Prefectu...
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Miyagi
Located in the prefecture of Miyagi,鹿島神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deity of the island...
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Miyagi
Raijin雷神社, located in the heart of Miyagi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Raijin, the god o...
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Miyagi
RaijinReigensha, the Shrine of Lightning God, is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Sanda, Miyagi Pref...
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Miyagi
OtohimeLocated in the town of Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, Dayohikami Shrine is a Shinto shrine that w...
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Miyagi
Sugisami-no-MikotoLocated in the city of Ishinomaki, Kusutsu Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity Sugisami-no-Mikot...
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Miyagi
TamuramaroLocated in the mountains of Miyagi Prefecture,山神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of agri...
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Miyagi
Tsukuyomi-no-KamiLocated in the city of Aoba, Miyagi Prefecture, 保食神社 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of...
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Miyagi
RyujinLocated in the Seto Inland Sea, Shirase Shrine on Miyagi's Kamoi Island is dedicated to the Shinto d...
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Miyagi
Godaiwa no KamiGodaiwa Shrine, located in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the g...
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Miyagi
HachimanTsukubamiya Shrine, located in Miyagi Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god of agriculture and...
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Miyagi
AmaterasuHaruka-gasa Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, specifically the Miyag...
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Miyagi
InariThe Izumo Taisha is not the only prominent Shinto shrine in Japan; the Dewa Sanzan region has severa...
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Miyagi
HachimanLocated in the city of Sendai, Eight Horses Temple Shrine (Hachimantai) is a prominent Shinto temple...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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