Meiji Jingu Shrine

Meiji Jingu Shrine showing a temple or place of worship and religious elements as well as a large group of people
Set within a large park filled with thousands of trees from all over Japan, this shrine is dedicated to a much-loved emperor and offers tranquility to visitors.

Perhaps Tokyo’s most popular shrine, the Meiji Jingu Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji, who was Japan’s first leader following the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate. It is the site of numerous festivals, weddings and events throughout the year. Visit this beautiful shrine to appreciate its atmosphere, serene despite its popularity with locals and tourists. 

Enter the shrine grounds through the enormous 40-foot-tall (12-metre) torii gate, which is made of 1,500-year-old Japanese cypress. It’s about a 10-minute walk from here to the main complex of shrine buildings. Stop at the purification fountain just before the shrine’s entrance and use a ladle to wash your hands and mouth. 

The reign of Emperor Meiji from 1868-1912 was a significant period in Japan’s history, marking the end of the country’s feudal era and the beginning of a modern Japan. The shrine was built soon after this in 1920, but it was destroyed during the air raids of World War II. What you see today is a beautiful reconstruction, completed in 1958.

At the shrine, write prayers or wishes on pieces of paper and tie them onto the prayer wall or write your wish on a wooden plate, called an ema, and hang it on the prayer board found in front of the large camphor tree. You can also make a prayer by throwing a coin into the offering box. Remember to bow twice, clap your hands twice and bow again after adding your coin.  

Stroll along the quiet walking paths branching out from the shrine. The forest surrounding the shrine has more than 100,000 trees, planted as saplings brought from all over Japan during the shrine’s construction. View important belongings of the emperor and empress in the Treasure Museum found at the northern end of the shrine grounds. In mid-June, see irises in bloom in the Inner Garden at the grounds’ southern end.

Visit the shrine on a Sunday morning. If you’re lucky, you may see a traditional Shinto wedding procession taking place. The Meiji Jingu Shrine is a short walk away from Harajuku Station. The shrine is open daily from sunrise to sunset and admission is free.

hotel MONday Asakusa
ICI HOTEL Tokyo Hatchobori
ICI HOTEL Ueno Shin Okachimachi
Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Reviews of Meiji Jingu Shrine

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
184
" "5 - Excellent 58.22784810126582%
4 - Good
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" "4 - Good 37.0253164556962%
3 - Okay
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" "3 - Okay 4.113924050632911%
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5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
14 Feb 2020

A beautiful parked area. An amaziningly beautiful area and shrine

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
13 Nov 2019

Pay a small admission fee to walk to Kiyomasa’s well. The gardens are really beautiful with a large pond with carp and turtles. Lots of interesting plants and bonsai trees. Visit the Shrine on Saturdays and you may see a Shinto wedding procession .

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
1 Aug 2019

Wear trousers if you go: there are lots of hungry insects. It's within a kind of woodland and there's a members-only dojo just past the Treasure Museum there. beside Yoyogi Park, which is excellent. Go on a Sunday and enjoy groups of dance, music, aerobics … it's a really nice atmosphere. The streets of Shibuya are jam packed.

5/5 - Excellent

Tim
5 Jun 2019

Follow the shrine rituals and rules

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