Hotels near Meiji Shrine
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Meiji Jingu (Meiji Shrine) opened in 1920 and is dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) who oversaw Japan's Meiji Restoration and rapid 19th-century modernisation. The shrine sits within a 70-hectare evergreen forest of 120000 trees, all donated by citizens during the original construction. The forest was designed to grow into a permanent natural shrine over 150 years - the calculated peak is in 2070.
Three massive cypress-wood torii gates (the largest in Japan, 12 metres tall, made from 1500-year-old trees) line the entrance approach from Harajuku station. The inner garden Yoyogi-en, designed for the empress in the 1860s, costs 500 JPY extra and is famous for the June iris blooms. Traditional Shinto weddings are held in the main hall most weekends - free to watch from a respectful distance. Free admission; open dawn to dusk.
Pro Tip: Enter from the Harajuku station side (south entrance) and exit on the Yoyogi-Hachiman side (north) - the forest path is best walked in one direction. Buy a wooden ema prayer plaque (500 JPY) and hang it on the central tree - a traditional Shinto blessing for travellers.
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