Best Shrines Spot List

A well-known shrine for its Chichibu Night Festival. Chichibu shrine enshrines several gods and has a history of over 2,100 years.

Surrounded by the old-growth forest of Tadasu-no-Mori, the shrine has records that date back before Christ. It is also renowned as a spiritual place believed to bring good luck in romance.

Famous for its cherry blossoms and being one of Kyoto’s three Kumano Shrines

Boasts an amazing stage modeled after a lion mask

The oldest shrine in Kyoto

The main shrine hall is a national treasure with droves of people lining up for the New Year’s shrine visit at “Sumiyossan”

Hie-jinja Shrine has a history of more than 600 years. The Sanno Festival, one of the three biggest Japanese festivals, is held in June.

Famous for its strange festival, the Kurama Fire Festival

The thatched Haiden hall is magnificent

A shrine to visit for breaking bad habits or starting good ones

This ancient temple contains the history of the Southern Dynasty

The homeland of a goddess at Ise Grand Shrine, located in the old Tango Province

Inherit Hikaru Genji's luck in love

This is a popular shrine for enmusubi-mairi, praying for a good marriage match. Weathered, miniature Shinto shrines on the shrine grounds invite your profound interest.

Known as the shinto shrine related to Yoshida Shoin, a samurai clan member of the Choshu Domain who had enormous influence on the movement to topple the Edo Shogunate during the mid-19th century. Now deified, he has become popular as a god of academic success.

An old shrine that has continued to protect the northeast entry to Kyoto

Famous as a spiritual site believed to bring good luck in marriage

A shrine built to represent the nation's wish for peace. Yushukan displays relics and wills, and it is worth visiting.

Founded in 1895 for the 1,100th anniversary of the relocation of the capital city to the Heian-kyo, the shrine reproduces the Imperial Palace of the Heian-kyo. It enshrines Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Komei.

Yushima-tenjin enshrines Amenotajikarao-no-mikoto, the god of better fortune and sports, and Michizane Sugawara, the god of learning and study. A number of famed scholars and writers visit this shrine.