Meiji Shrine

Location

Tokyo
Japan
35° 40' 34.8312" N, 139° 41' 57.6564" E
JP
General info: 

Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of late 19th century Emperor Meiji and his wife is the most famous shrine in Tokyo. In this wonderfully serene and austere shrine the city sounds are quickly replaced by a tranquil forest. The approximately 100,000 trees that make up Meiji Jingu's forest were planted during the shrine's construction and were donated from regions across the entire country. The 40-foot-high (12-meter) torii gate at the entrance to the 200-acre park is made of 1,500-year-old cypress, and there's a second one like it closer to the shrine itself. You can dip into a communal water tank and purify your hands and mouth before offering up a prayer. Write your wishes on little pieces of paper and tie them onto the prayer wall. Or do as the locals do — toss some yen into the offering box near the enormous taiko drum, bow your head twice, clap twice, and bow once more. On Sunday mornings you´ll have a good chance to see a traditional Japanese wedding procession through the courtyard — the bride and the groom walking together under a big red parasol, with Shinto priests leading the way and the rest of the wedding party trailing behind.

Getting there: 

The main complex of shrine buildings is located a ten minute walk from both the southern entrance near Harajuku Station and the northern entrance near Yoyogi Station. Entry into the shrine grounds is marked by a massive torii gate.

Costs: 

Hours: Sunrise to sunset Admission: Free

You might be interested in

Singapore government has a plan to transform the city from a ‘Garden City’ to a ‘City in a Garden’. The 1st step in that process was the construction of the Gardens by the Bay.

Also known as Tsarskoye Selo (the Emperors village), the Catherine Palace is a magnificent complex of gardens, baroque-styled summerhouses, and colorful palaces.

Saint Isaac's Cathedral is the largest Orthodox cathedral in the world. This monumental building is dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, a patron saint of Peter the Great, who had been born on the feast day of that saint.

Built in a classic Russian Orthodox style, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of the most elaborate churches of St. Petersburg.

Located inside the harbor area, the Hamburg Fish Market offers see goods freshly shipped from all over the world. Here you can find sorts of fish meat, your local vendor surely doesn’t sell.

Hamburg Rathaus is the town hall of Hamburg and the main city’s government office.