Best Shrines Spot List

The mystical, large torii (gateway) that appears as if it’s floating on the lake’s surface is a must-see

Here resides the god who watches over Kyoto's kitchens

Boasts an amazing stage modeled after a lion mask

The head shrine of all the Tenman-gu shrines in Japan, affectionally called ”Kitano no Tenjin-san.” The shrine is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane.

The head shrine of all the Inari-jinja shrines across Japan. Its approximately 1,000 photogenic torii gates (an archway to a Shinto shrine) attract many visitors.

This is an auspicious shrine because of the kanji characters that are used for writing its name Hodosan can also be read as ”climbing a mountain of treasures.” The deities who protect people from fire, thefts, and other disasters are enshrined there.

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.

A shrine affiliated with boars and protection for the lower body

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

A guardian shinto shrine in northern Shinagawa-shuku. Best known for its portable shrines during the annual Shinagawa Shrine Festival in June.

Pray for good health and matchmaking at this shrine built for subduing an epidemic

The head Kumano shrine where various Kumano deities are worshiped

Famous for its deity of scholarship

A sacred place connected to Hideyoshi

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.

Nogi Shrine is a shrine where Nogi Maresuke (1849 - 1912), a general in the Imperial Japanese army during the Meiji period (1868-1912), and his wife are enshrined.

The gateway to Mt. Fuji, this shrine lets you purify body and mind in an atmosphere both solemn and cooling (you might even get a chance to see Shinto ceremonies like festivals, benedictions, or weddings!)

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

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

Famous for its strange festival, the Kurama Fire Festival