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
朝日町, 富山県
Located in the heart of Ashido Town, Yakushima Shrine is a serene Shinto temple dedicated to the wor...
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富山市, 富山県
HachimanEttoku Gokun Hachiman-ji is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Rich Hill, known as the sacred m...
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射水市, 富山県
Kaga-tsuchiLocated in the heart of Shotetsu City, Godaikyo Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of wa...
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高岡市, 富山県
Akakawa no Kami Shrine, located in Hirosaki Park, Highgate Hill, is the only Shinto shrine in Tochig...
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富山市, 富山県
Shikine no kami立蔵神社, located in the heart of Rich Hill Park in Rich City, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the d...
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Hakusangu Shrine
南砺市, 富山県
HachimanHakusangu Shrine, located in the city of Nanto, Toyama Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to t...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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