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
阿南市橘町西浦山, 徳島県
Located in Arisanomachi, Okura, in the heart of Naoshima Island, Kuriyamahime-jinja Shrine is a Shin...
View shrine →美波町, 徳島県
HachimanDayasato Hachimangū is a Shinto shrine located in Ura-machi, Mugi, Ōita, but also has branches and w...
View shrine →美馬市, 徳島県
Susanoo no KamiThe Eight Hundred Million Deity Hall Shrine, located in Ura, Oita Prefecture, is dedicated to the pr...
View shrine →那賀町, 徳島県
InariLocated in the heart of Na gauge-cho, 徳島県の 徳島県最も西端にある town, 奉八毛猫大明神 Shrine is d...
View shrine →吉野川市, 徳島県
Takamagitatsu no OkamiThe Shōmon-Ōdai Jishin Shrine in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture was originally dedicated to the...
View shrine →阿波市, 徳島県
Hachiman OkamiSpring Day Shrine, located in Awa City, Tokushima Prefecture, is dedicated to the Shinto god of spri...
View shrine →吉野川市, 徳島県
Fudo Myo-oFudou-tenjin Shrine, located in Iya Valley on the island of Shikoku, is a prominent Shinto shrine de...
View shrine →阿南市, 徳島県
HachimanFortoka Hachiman Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war and patron deity of...
View shrine →Yama shrine
吉野川市, 徳島県
Yamato no OkamiLocated in the heart of Gyonai River Valley, Yama Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to the kami of...
View shrine →Yama Shrine
吉野川市, 徳島県
SusanooLocated in the heart of Gyotoku, Gyotoku City, Shikoku, lies Yama Shrine, a serene Shinto sanctuary...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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