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
Aioi Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deitiesAioi Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture. The name 'Aioi' means 'growing tog...
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Chimori Shrine
Kumamoto
Local protective deityChimori Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture that serves as a guardian shrine for...
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Hakuo Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deityHakuo Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture. The name Hakuo, meaning 'White Ki...
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Hayato Shrine
Gifu
Local protective deities and ancestral spiritsHayato Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture that serves the spiritual needs of the sur...
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Kamichikama Shrine
Gifu
Local protective deitiesA local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture that serves the spiritual needs of the surrounding communit...
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Kasume Inugashira Shrine
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Local protective deitiesA local Shinto shrine serving the community as a tutelary shrine, maintaining traditional worship pr...
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Katte Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deityKatte Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture. The name 'Katte' suggests it may...
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Kogarasu Shrine
Kagoshima
Local protective deitiesA local Shinto shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture dedicated to protective kami. The name Kogarasu means...
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Makado Shrine
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Deities of gateways and boundariesA Shinto shrine dedicated to deities associated with entrance ways, boundaries, and protection. The...
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Makino Shrine
Toyohashi, Aichi
Local protective deitiesMakino Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, serving as a communit...
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Nenokami Shrine
Kanagawa
Susanoo-no-MikotoA local Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to protective deities. The shrine serves the...
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Sekinan Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deitySekinan Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Kochi Prefecture, serving as a community spiritua...
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Shinbo Shrine
Kochi
Local protective deityA local Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to protective deities. The name 'Shinbo' (神母)...
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Shinbo Shrine
Kochi
Divine Mother deityShinbo Shrine is a local Shinto shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to a divine mother figure. The...
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Soba Shrine
Gifu
Ancestral deities and local protective spiritsA local Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture dedicated to ancestral worship and community protection. Th...
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Sugiyama Shrine
Kanagawa
Local protective deities and ancestral spiritsSugiyama Shrine is one of numerous shrines bearing this name throughout Kanagawa Prefecture, particu...
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Takikura Shrine
Nara
Local protective deitiesTakikura Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Nara Prefecture, serving as a community spiritua...
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Yade Shrine
Miyazaki
Local protective deityYade Shrine is a local Shinto shrine located in Miyazaki Prefecture, serving as a community spiritua...
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Yomei Shrine
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Deity of longevity and healthYomei Shrine is a local Shinto shrine dedicated to prayers for longevity, health, and well-being. Th...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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