List of National Treasures of Japan (shrines)

The shrine structures in this list were designated national treasures when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties was implemented on June 9, 1951.

Owners are required to announce any changes to the National Treasures such as damage or loss and need to obtain a permit for transfer of ownership or intended repairs.

[6] The practice of marking sacred areas began in Japan as early as the Yayoi period (from about 500 BC to 300 AD) originating from primal religious beliefs.

Features in the landscape such as rocks, waterfalls, islands, and especially mountains, were places believed to be capable of attracting kami, and subsequently were worshiped as yorishiro.

[7][8] The buildings had gabled roofs, raised floors, plank walls, and were thatched with reed or covered with hinoki cypress bark.

[12] According to the tradition of Shikinen sengū-sai (式年遷宮祭), the buildings or shrines were faithfully rebuilt at regular intervals adhering to the original design.

[7] The following stylistic elements of Buddhist temple architecture were assimilated and applied to Japanese shrines: column-base stones,[nb 4] brackets, curved roofs, painted surfaces, metal ornaments, corridors and pagodas.

[19] At the end of the Heian period torii and fences were commonly replaced with two-storied gates and grand colonnades copied from temple architecture.

[23] Such complexes are a result of the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism which began to appear during the Heian period; Kitano Tenman-gū, built in 947 for the spirit of Sugawara no Michizane, was the first of these byō or jingū-ji.