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
Kyoto
AmaterasuUkeno-jinja is a Shinto shrine located in Kyoto, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. The shrine...
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Kyoto
ŌryūdaimyōjinThe Ōryūjinja Shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to Ōryūdaimyōjin, a Shinto deity believed to grant wisdom...
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Kyoto
ŌkuninushiLocated in the heart of Kyoto, Daikō-gū-sha is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of fert...
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Kyoto
SusanooLocated in Kyoto, Eight Bays Shrine is one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Japan, dedicated to...
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Kyoto
Tsukuyomi no kamiKiyomizu-dera's sister shrine, Kiyokawa-ji, is dedicated to a lesser-known but equally revered deity...
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Kyoto
Located in the heart of Kyoto, Akizukagahara Shrine is one of the oldest shrines dedicated to the go...
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Kyoto
Amaterasu ŌmikamiThe Imperial Shrine, located in Kyoto, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Sun Goddess Amaterasu and...
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Kyoto
Yamato no OkamiCity Katsuragi Shrine is dedicated to Yamato no Okami, a Shinto deity from the Yamato period. The sh...
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Kyoto
Bigguru no kamikazeBigguru Shrine, a small Shinto temple in Kyoto dedicated to the god of the house and children, is ne...
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Kyoto
Amaterasu Omikami愛宕神社, dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the Shinto sun goddess and celestial deity of Japan, is a...
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Kyoto
Myō-O no OkamiMyo-San-ee Miyaji, a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, is dedicated to Myō-O no Okami, a deity revered for his...
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Kyoto
EbisuEbisu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the heart of Gion, Kyoto's famous geisha district. Dedica...
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Kyoto
Inari OkamiKawafuchi Shrine, located in the heart of Kyoto's western district, is dedicated to the Shinto deity...
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Kyoto
Amaterasu上市八幡神社 is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, dedicated to the worsh...
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Kyoto
Inari OkamiLocated in Kyoto, Shirakawa-jinja is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of rice and prosperity, In...
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Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates forming a tunnel up the moun...
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Kyoto
GukichiThe public-minded Kami of wisdom, intelligence and knowledge, Gukichi-shinsha is revered at this anc...
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Kyoto
DayoDayo Shrine, located in the heart of Kyoto, is dedicated to the Shinto deity Dayo, a kami associated...
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Kyoto
HikoboshiLocated in Kyoto, Eight Horses Temple Shrine is dedicated to the Shinto deity of wind and storms, Hi...
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Kyoto
Kamo-no-mikotoRiver Above Three Deities Shrine, located in Kyoto Prefecture, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the t...
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Kyoto
Susanoo-no-MikotoTadanori Shrine, located in the heart of Kyoto, is dedicated to the god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, known for...
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Kyoto
TenjinFive-Torii Shrine, located in the heart of Kyoto, is one of the oldest and most revered Shinto shrin...
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Kyoto
Susanoo-no-MikotoLocated in the heart of Kyoto, the Waterless Moon Shrine is a serene Shinto sanctuary dedicated to t...
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Kyoto
Kumano Sanzan, a sacred mountain range in western Japan, is the source of spiritual power for Koyasa...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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