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
常総市, 茨城県
NamazūLocated in the heart of常総市, 水神宮 is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the water god, Namazū...
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土浦市, 茨城県
InariKashiwazaki Jingu Shrine, located in Tsukubamaki, Ibaraki Prefecture, is one of the oldest Shinto sh...
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岩井市, 茨城県
Tsukuyomi國王神社 is a Shinto shrine located in 岩井市, 茨城県, dedicated to the worship of the deity Tsukuyo...
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潮来市, 茨城県
Located in Tsukamoto, a district of Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture (not C茨城県), but not far from th...
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筑西市, 茨城県
nullMiyagoshita Jinja is a Shinto shrine located in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, but it appears to be mi...
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Chikatsu shinto shrine
つくば市, 茨城県
Chikatsu Shinto Shrine, located in Tsukuba City, Côtebati Prefecture, is a revered site dedicated to...
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tenmangu
常総市, 茨城県
Sugawara no MichizaneLocated in the city of Sakuramine, Cachida-gun, Hitachi Province, Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to th...
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Tokiwa Shrine
水戸市, 茨城県
Tokiwa Shrine, located in Waterford City, Cattle Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the dei...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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