Japan Travelogue Series: Discovering Meiji Jingu

Shibuya in Tokyo is famous for being a bustling shopping, dining, and entertainment hub. Many of Japan’s renowned and upcoming fashion and entertainment trendsetters get their start at Shibuya. Dozens of major department store chains are also located in the area, making it a shopper’s paradise. It is also home to the two busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku and Shibuya stations.

Japan has a number of shrines and temples. One of the must visit places is the Meiji Shrine or Meiji Jingu, in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward. This popular Shinto shrine is used by many locals for prayers, rituals, and other religious activities.

Meiji Jingu courtyard torii

Honoring the Emperor and Empress

Meiji Jingu was built to commemorate Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, who both had greatly contributed to the modernization of Japan through the Meiji Restoration. Shinto religion believes that divinity or Kami can exist within nature and humanity, and because of the virtues the pair had shown in life, they are considered deities. The shrine was built to honor the Emperor and the Empress.

Meiji Jingu’s construction began in 1915, after the deaths of the Emperor in 1912 and the Empress in 1914. The is made with copper and the best available wood, Japanese cypress. Meiji Jingu was formally completed in 1926. Two of Japan’s largest traditional gates or torii is in the main entrances of the temple. The shrine gates are made of old cypress wood that’s more than 1,700 years old, and they loom imposingly over the constant stream of visitors.

Meiji Jingu forest torii

Though the shrine’s main building was destroyed during World War II’s Tokyo air raids, it was later rebuilt with the help of contributions by the Japanese public. Reconstruction was completed in 1958.

Join Michelle and Niclas as they visit Maiji Jingu.