Shrines in Nara

Nara Prefecture is home to 161 shrines, including Niukawakami Shrine Kamisha and Tateishi Kai Shrine. These sacred sites offer a glimpse into Japan's spiritual traditions.

Not sure where to start? Read our guide to the 20 best

Niukawakami Shrine Kamisha

Niukawakami Shrine Kamisha

Ancient shrine dedicated to water deities, featuring unique architecture and archaeological find...

Niukawakami Shrine Shimosha

Niukawakami Shrine Shimosha

Ancient Shinto shrine dedicated to a water deity, with unique stone formations and a sacred well...

Tateishi Kai Shrine

Tateishi Kai Shrine

Tateishi Kai Shrine, founded in 1565, honors deities and offers daily spring water.

Misome Shrine

Misome Shrine

Misome Shrine is a historic Nara shrine, rebuilt after a fire, dedicated to multiple deities.

Ayameike Shrine

Ayameike Shrine

Ayameike Shrine, dedicated to guardian deities, offers a peaceful, historical stop in Nara.

Kume no Miagata Shrine

Kume no Miagata Shrine

Ancient Kume no Miagata Shrine, dedicated to three deities, offers a glimpse into Japan's histor...

Izanagi Shrine

Izanagi Shrine

Ancient shrine on a burial mound, guarding a community for centuries.

Izanagi Shrine

Izanagi Shrine

Ancient shrine in Ikoma City dedicated to Izanagi-no-mikoto, with historical buildings and artif...

Iruka Shrine

Iruka Shrine

Iruka Shrine honors Soga Iruka, offering a glimpse into ancient history and important cultural p...

Yatagarasu Shrine

Yatagarasu Shrine

Japan's first shrine to Yatagarasu, a mythical three-legged crow, offering a glimpse into ancien...

Daianji-Hachiman Shrine (Nara)

Daianji-Hachiman Shrine (Nara)

A historic guardian shrine in Nara featuring Muromachi-period architecture and the prefecture's...

Katte Shrine

Katte Shrine

Katte Shrine is a historic head shrine in Yoshino, rebuilt after a fire, offering a glimpse into...

Tōchi no Miagata Nimasu Shrine

Tōchi no Miagata Nimasu Shrine

Ancient shrine dedicated to Toyouke-Ōkami, revered by the imperial court for centuries.

Nanto Kagami Shrine

Nanto Kagami Shrine

Ancient Nara shrine, guardian of a major temple, with a unique main hall worth seeing.

Yoshino Jingū

Yoshino Jingū

A Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Go-Daigo, significant for its historical ties to the Kenmu...

Oonimasumishiritsuhiko Shrine

Oonimasumishiritsuhiko Shrine

Ancient shrine in Nara, enshrining Kojiki's compiler, with important cultural properties.

Yatsugi Shrine

Yatsugi Shrine

Yatsugi Shrine is a historic village shrine with a unique thatched-roof worship hall.

Ame-Futotama-no-Mikoto Shrine

Ame-Futotama-no-Mikoto Shrine

This ancient shrine, dedicated to the Imbe clan's ancestral god, offers a glimpse into early Jap...

Tenkawa Daibenzaiten-sha

Tenkawa Daibenzaiten-sha

Visit this ancient shrine, dedicated to performing arts, to see rare Noh treasures.

Amanoiwatate Shrine

Amanoiwatate Shrine

Ancient shrine without a main hall, worships giant rocks, and has samurai connections.

Naratsuhiko Shrine

Naratsuhiko Shrine

Naratsuhiko Shrine is a historic Nara shrine with ancient deities and a 1000-year-old camphor tr...

Munakata Shrine

Munakata Shrine

Munakata Shrine is an ancient shrine dedicated to three goddesses, featuring unique architecture...

Soganimasu Sogatsuhiko Shrine

Soganimasu Sogatsuhiko Shrine

Ancient shrine dedicated to the Soga clan, offering a glimpse into early Japanese history.

Heguri Nimasukishi Shrine

Heguri Nimasukishi Shrine

Heguri Nimasukishi Shrine is a historic Shikinaisha shrine dedicated to ancient deities, worth v...

Kōshin-dō Shrine

Kōshin-dō Shrine

Kōshin-dō Shrine is a small, historic Nara temple known for its unique monkey charms.

Tamukeyama Hachiman Shrine

Tamukeyama Hachiman Shrine

Ancient shrine at the foot of Mount Tamukeyama, known for its autumn leaves.

Ikaruga Shrine

Ikaruga Shrine

Ikaruga Shrine is a historic guardian shrine of Horyuji Temple, enshrining Sugawara no Michizane...

Muraya-ni-masu-Mifutsuhime Shrine

Muraya-ni-masu-Mifutsuhime Shrine

Ancient shrine dedicated to Mihotsuhime-no-mikoto, offering a glimpse into Japan's early religio...

Nara Shrine

Nara Shrine

Nara Shrine, a historic site, offers a glimpse into Japan's past and traditional dedications.

Enomoto Shrine

Enomoto Shrine

A small, ancient shrine in Nara with a unique architectural style and historical significance.

Himuro Shrine

Himuro Shrine

An ancient Nara shrine dedicated to the deity of ice, featuring historic architecture and famous...

Kawamata Shrine

Kawamata Shrine

Ancient shrine dedicated to a protective deity, known for its historical significance and unique...

Genkurō Inari Shrine

Genkurō Inari Shrine

One of Japan's Great Inari shrines, known for fox legends and blessings.

Kangō Shrine

Kangō Shrine

Kangō Shrine: a historic Nara shrine with unique manju connections and Tokugawa Ieyasu artifacts...

Tamaki Shrine

Tamaki Shrine

This ancient mountain shrine, a World Heritage Site, offers purification and healing for visitor...

Ikomayamaguchi Shrine

Ikomayamaguchi Shrine

Ancient shrine in Nara dedicated to powerful deities, known for its unique folk cultural propert...

Amakashi-ni-imasu Shrine

Amakashi-ni-imasu Shrine

Ancient shrine on a historic hill, dedicated to Empress Suiko and other deities.

Kudo Shrine

Kudo Shrine

Kudo Shrine is an ancient shrine dedicated to the hearth god, easily accessible from Oji Station...

Unebiyamaguchi Shrine

Unebiyamaguchi Shrine

Ancient shrine at Mount Unebi's foot, known for safe childbirth blessings.

Yata ni Imasu Kushitamahiko Shrine

Yata ni Imasu Kushitamahiko Shrine

Ancient Nara shrine with important cultural properties, celebrating aviation annually.

Iwazononiimasu Takumushitama Shrine

Iwazononiimasu Takumushitama Shrine

Ancient Shinto shrine in Nara, dedicated to important deities, with a rich history.

Anashi-Nimasu Hyōzu Shrine

Anashi-Nimasu Hyōzu Shrine

Ancient shrine in Nara with unique merged history, housing distinct deities and sacred objects.

Tomi Shrine

Tomi Shrine

Tomi Shrine is a historic Nara shrine with unique monuments, easily accessible for a quick visit...

Miminashi Yamaguchi Shrine

Miminashi Yamaguchi Shrine

Miminashi Yamaguchi Shrine, dedicated to mountain gods, offers blessings for safe childbirth.

Sugawara Tenmangū

Sugawara Tenmangū

Sugawara Tenmangu is a historic shrine in Nara, dedicated to learning, with a pond believed to b...

Katsuragi Hitokotonushi Shrine

Katsuragi Hitokotonushi Shrine

Ancient shrine on Mount Katsuragi's foot, known for its sacred ginkgo and unique deity.

Katsuragi Futakami Shrine

Katsuragi Futakami Shrine

Ancient mountain shrine in Nara, dedicated to two kami, with a sacred tree and a prince's tomb.

Katsuraki Shitori ni Imasu Ame no Ha Ikazuchi no Mikoto Shrine

Katsuraki Shitori ni Imasu Ame no Ha Ikazuchi no Mikoto Shrine

Ancient Shinto shrine dedicated to the Shitori clan's ancestral deity, an important historical s...

Katsuraki ni Imasu Honoikaduchi Shrine

Katsuraki ni Imasu Honoikaduchi Shrine

Ancient shrine dedicated to fire and other deities, featuring unique historical artifacts and se...

Katsuragi Mitoshi Shrine

Katsuragi Mitoshi Shrine

Ancient head shrine of Mitoshigami, offering a glimpse into early Japanese religious history.

Sanuki Shrine

Sanuki Shrine

Sanuki Shrine, a historic site linked to ancient tales, offers a glimpse into Japan's spiritual...

Meta Shrine

Meta Shrine

Meta Shrine honors deities of learning and arts, offering a glimpse into ancient Japanese spirit...

Akabo Shrine

Akabo Shrine

Akabo Shrine is an ancient Shikinaisha shrine with a sacred spring, connected to imperial histor...

Aki Shrine

Aki Shrine

Aki Shrine is an ancient Shikinaisha with a unique main hall, worth visiting for its historical...

Asuka-ni-imasu Shrine

Asuka-ni-imasu Shrine

Visit this ancient shrine for its unique fertility stones and a quirky February festival.

Takakamo Shrine

Takakamo Shrine

Takakamo Shrine, head of Kamo shrines, offers important cultural properties and primrose blooms.

Kamotsuba Shrine

Kamotsuba Shrine

Kamotsuba Shrine, a historic site by two rivers, offers a glimpse into ancient Japanese worship.

Tatsuta Shrine

Tatsuta Shrine

Tatsuta Shrine is a historic shrine in Nara Prefecture, known for its unique enshrined deities a...

Yamagami Hachiman Shrine

Yamagami Hachiman Shrine

Visit this ancient shrine to see historic buildings and a cedar tree planted by Toyotomi Hideyos...

Hakusan Shrine

Hakusan Shrine

Hakusan Shrine: a historic village shrine in Nara, dedicated to creation deities.

Shrines elsewhere

See everything by prefecture and type