Shinto Temples in Japan — Find 25,837+ Sacred Sites

About Shinto Temples in Japan

Shinto shrines (jinja) are sacred dwelling places of kami — the spirits inhabiting natural features, ancestors, and abstract forces — and form the spiritual foundation of Japan. Marked by torii gates that signal entry into sacred space, shrines range from forest sanctuaries like Ise Jingu (the most sacred Shinto site, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu) to mountaintop shrines, urban neighborhood jinja, and the great complexes at Meiji, Itsukushima, and Fushimi Inari with its thousands of vermilion torii. Shrine rituals center on purification, offerings, and seasonal matsuri festivals that punctuate Japanese life from New Year visits to summer dance-festivals.