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Meiji Shrine — Urban Forest Sanctuary

Published: Jul 22, 2026

Updated: Jul 22, 2026

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Meiji Shrine (明治神宮, Meiji Jingu) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, set within 175 acres of forested sanctuary in central Tokyo. The shrine was completed in 1920, destroyed in WWII, and rebuilt in 1958. The approach to the shrine is a 10-minute walk through towering trees (70,000 trees from across Japan, all donated and planted during the shrine's original construction), creating a transition from urban Tokyo to sacred forest space.

The shrine's main hall (honden) is built in traditional nagare-zukuri style with cypress wood and copper roofing. The massive torii gate at the entrance — made from 1,500-year-old cypress trees — is one of Japan's largest. Meiji Shrine is Tokyo's premier spot for traditional Shinto weddings (20-30 ceremonies on weekends), and visitors often witness bridal processions in white shiromuku kimono.

Essential Information

Opening Hours

Summer: 5:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Winter: 6:40 AM – 4:20 PM (sunrise to sunset, varies monthly)

Closed: No regular closures (open daily year-round)

Entrance Fee

Free | Inner Garden (御苑 Gyoen): ¥500

Best Season

Spring (cherry blossoms) | June (iris garden, 150 varieties) | Early morning year-round for solitude

Visit Duration

30-60 minutes (90 minutes including Inner Garden)

Getting There

Access Information

Meiji Shrine: 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku. 1-min walk from Harajuku Station (JR) or Meiji-jingumae Station (Metro). Free entry, open sunrise to sunset (5:00-18:00 summer, 6:40-16:20 winter). Visit duration: 30-60 minutes.

Insider Guide

Premium

**Optimal visit time:** Early morning (6:00-8:00 summer, 7:00-9:00 winter) offers solitude and soft light filtering through forest canopy. The shrine sees 3 million visitors annually, making mornings essential for contemplative experience. Weekday mornings are quieter than weekends. Avoid New Year (Jan 1-3) when the shrine receives 3 million visitors in 72 hours — the most-visited shrine in Japan during hatsumode (first shrine visit). **Wedding observations:** Shinto weddings occur most weekends (spring and autumn peak seasons). The processions depart from the waiting area near the main hall around 11:00, 13:00, and 15:00. The bride wears white shiromuku with a white hood (tsunokakushi), the groom wears black montsuki kimono. Photography of the procession is permitted from a respectful distance — don't block the path or use flash. **Omikuji and ema:** The shrine sells omikuji (おみくじ, fortune slips, ¥100) and ema (絵馬, wooden prayer plaques, ¥500). Omikuji are selected at random — if the fortune is bad (末吉 or 凶), tie it to the designated rack to leave the bad luck behind. Ema are written with wishes and hung at the shrine — common wishes include health, success, love. English translations available at the counter. **Inner Garden:** The Meiji Jingu Inner Garden (御苑, Gyoen, ¥500 entry) is a separate section with iris gardens (hanashobu, bloom mid-June) and a pond. The garden was designed by Emperor Meiji for Empress Shoken. It's a peaceful extension of the main shrine visit — budget an additional 30 minutes. The iris garden's 150 varieties bloom for 2-3 weeks in June.

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