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
Ota Susano Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amaterasu in Japanese m...
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Susanoo Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the powerful storm god and brother of Amaterasu in J...
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Susanoo Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amaterasu in Japanese m...
View shrine →
Susanoo Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the powerful storm god and brother of Amaterasu in J...
View shrine →
Susanoo Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amaterasu in Japanese m...
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Toyokawa Susanoo Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoA Shinto shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the storm god and brother of Amaterasu in Japanese m...
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Tsushima Shrine
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Susanoo-no-MikotoTsushima Shrine is dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the Shinto deity of storms and the sea. These shr...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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