Shinto in Japan | Hey Japan!

Shinto is an indigenous religion of Japan and the country's oldest religion, originating from prehistoric times. It is characterized by its focus on ancestor worship, nature worship, and the veneration of spirits known as kami. Shinto shrines, which are dedicated to the worship of kami, are scattered throughout Japan and are typically marked by a torii gate and other distinctive architectural features. Shinto has no written scripture, no formal creed, and no defined system of morality. Instead, its teachings and practices are passed down orally and through tradition.

Festival

Miyazaki Jingu Grand Festival

Miyazaki's largest festival honors Emperor Jimmu with a grand autumn procession of portable shrines and floats reenacting the legendary emperor's journey.

31 Oct – 1 Nov 2026Miyazaki

Shrine

Sasayama Shrine

Sasayama Shrine, dedicated to the god of martial arts and war, sits within Kurume Castle in Fukuoka with a main hall in traditional Edo period style.

Kurume · Fukuoka

Performance

Shinto is an indigenous religion of Japan and the country's oldest religion, originating from prehistoric times. It is characterized by its focus on ancestor worship, nature worship, and the veneration of spirits known as kami. Shinto shrines, which are dedicated to the worship of kami, are scattered throughout Japan and are typically marked by a torii gate and other distinctive architectural features. Shinto has no written scripture, no formal creed, and no defined system of morality. Instead, its teachings and practices are passed down orally and through tradition.

Festival

Miyazaki Jingu Grand Festival

Miyazaki's largest festival honors Emperor Jimmu with a grand autumn procession of portable shrines and floats reenacting the legendary emperor's journey.

31 Oct – 1 Nov 2026Miyazaki

Shrine

Sasayama Shrine

Sasayama Shrine, dedicated to the god of martial arts and war, sits within Kurume Castle in Fukuoka with a main hall in traditional Edo period style.

Kurume · Fukuoka

Performance

Iwami Kagura

Each autumn in western Shimane, shrine stages host Iwami Kagura - sacred dances performed through the night, from ceremonial pieces to a battle with a serpent.

Shimane · Chugoku

Festival

Okawakami Birafu Shrine Autumn Grand Festival

Featuring an Intangible Folk Cultural Property procession, this November festival unites a community through ceremony, dance, and spiritual communion.

3 Nov 2026Kami · Kochi

Shrine

Mamada Hachiman Shrine

Tochigi shrine founded in the Tenpyo era (729-749); its May 5 Snake Festival, with snakes over 15 metres, is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Oyama · Tochigi

Pilgrimage

Kumano Kodo

For over a thousand years, the Kumano Kodo has led pilgrims through the mountains of Kii to the sacred Kumano Sanzan shrines - now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wakayama · Kansai

Festival

Fox's Wedding - Rice Ear Festival

The Fox's Wedding features a grand procession with white fox bride and groom, rooted in a legend of benevolent spirits said to bring marriage blessings.

3 Nov 2026Kudamatsu · Yamaguchi

Shrine

Tomioka Hachiman Shrine

Tokyo's largest Hachiman shrine, established in 1627, holds historical significance as the birthplace of Kanjin-zumo, a precursor to modern Grand Sumo.

Tokyo

Festival

Kurakake Castle Festival

A castle festival features an armored warrior procession, parades, and traditional performances including taiko drumming and Shinto kagura dance.

16 Nov 2026Iwakuni · Yamaguchi

Shrine

Juzo Shrine

Shrine in Wajima, Ishikawa, dedicated to Amenofuyukinu no Mikoto and his son Okuninushi, god of nation-building and matchmaking, with subsidiary shrines.

Wajima · Ishikawa

Festival

Kamiari Festival

Once a year the gods of Japan are said to abandon their shrines for Izumo, where a season of quiet rites welcomes, hosts, and finally sends them home again.

18–25 Nov 2026Izumo · Shimane

Mountain

Mt. Haguro

The lowest of the three mountains of Dewa in Yamagata, climbed by a stone stair through old cedars, with a five-storey pagoda that is a National Treasure.

Tsuruoka · Yamagata

Festival

Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko-sai Festival (Naked Monk Festival)

This festival honors Tenjin, a tenth-century poet and administrator deified for his integrity, through a ritual dating back over a thousand years.

28 Nov 2026Hofu · Yamaguchi

Shrine

Tsushima Shrine

Aichi head shrine of about 3,000 Tsushima shrines across Japan, honouring the deities Gozutenno and Susanoo, with legendary origins in the 3rd century BCE.

Tsushima · Aichi

Festival

Dontosai Festival

An annual winter ritual in Sendai features the ceremonial burning of New Year decorations followed by a sacred pilgrimage procession in traditional attire.

14 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSendai · Miyagi