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
Harayoshi Hie Shrine
Kagoshima
Oyamakui-no-kamiA Hie shrine located in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to Oyamakui-no-kami, the mountain deity. Hie...
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Hie Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamakui-no-kamiHie Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Oyamakui-no-kami, a mountain deity associated with protec...
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Hie Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamakui no KamiHie Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Oyamakui no Kami, a mountain deity associated with protec...
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Hie Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamakui-no-kamiHie Shrine is dedicated to Oyamakui-no-kami, a mountain deity associated with protection, sake brewi...
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Hie Shrine
Miyazaki
Oyamakui-no-kamiA Hie shrine in Miyazaki Prefecture dedicated to the mountain deity Oyamakui-no-kami. Hie shrines ar...
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Hie Shrine
Kagoshima
Oyamakui-no-kamiA Hie shrine located in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to Oyamakui-no-kami, the mountain deity. Hie...
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Kaseda Hie Shrine
Kagoshima
Oyamakui no KamiA Hie shrine located in Kaseda, Kagoshima Prefecture, dedicated to Oyamakui no Kami, the mountain de...
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Sanno Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamakui-no-kamiSanno Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the mountain deity Oyamakui-no-kami, part of the Hie sh...
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Watauchi Hie Shrine
Kanagawa
Oyamakui-no-KamiWatauchi Hie Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Oyamakui-no-Kami, t...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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