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
筑前町, 福岡県
Ōgami no Kami大己贵神社 is a Shinto shrine located in筑前町, Fukuoka Prefecture. As one of the oldest shrines in...
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大川市, 福岡県
Ryujin and Susanoo no MikotoEgutsumizutanmai is a Shinto shrine located in Ogura, Fukuoka Prefecture, dedicated to the water dei...
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北九州市, 福岡県
nullLocated in northern Kyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture's North Kyushu City is home to the large and historic...
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太宰府市, 福岡県
InariThe Aso Shrine, located in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to...
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糸島市, 福岡県
Sakuraizuka-no-kami櫻井神社, located in 糸島市, Fukuoka Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the kami, Sakuraizu...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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