Meiji Jingū, Tokyo

Meiji Jingū, Tokyo

Built in commemoration of Emperor Meiji in 1920, the Meiji Jingu is Tokyo's grandest shrine.

Built in commemoration of Emperor Meiji in 1920, the Meiji Jingu is Tokyo's grandest shrine. Like all of Japan's major shrines, it is large in scale but simple in structure, entered via a winding path and through a giant torii gate made from 1500 year old cypress. On summer weekends you have a very good chance of catching a Japanese wedding in progress here; the shrine is also packed on New Year's Eve when people come here to celebrate the New Year.

Located in an evergreen forested area of 70 hectares which has 120,000 trees donated by people from all over Japan, the complex has 2 zones –

• The Azekurazukuri style Naien or inner zone has the nagare-zukuri style Shinto shrine (Hondo) with green copper-plated roof. Other structures include the Minami Shinmon Gate, the Meiji Jingu Treasure House (Homotsuden or Shinko) which displays personal belongings of the Emperor and Empress, Museum Annex Building which displays temporary exhibitions, Noritoden where religious rites are performed, Naihaiden (inner shrine), Gehaiden (outer shrine), Shiseikan Dojo (Martial Arts Training Hall), Kaguraden (dance hall), and Shinsenjo (kitchen). The Inner Garden (Meiji-jingu Gyoen) is home to over 150 species of irises which bloom in late June. It also has the 400 year old Kiyomasa's Well. The Naien also contains the kazaridaru or stacks of sake barrels which are offered to the deities during festivals.
• The outer Gaien has the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery which houses a collection of 80 large murals that illustrate events from the lives of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, a variety of sports facilities such as the National Stadium, and the Meiji Memorial Hall (Meiji Kinenkan).