Meiji Jingu Shrine: A Sacred Forest in the Heart of Tokyo
“Meiji Jingu Shrine (Meiji Jingū)” is located in Shibuya, Tokyo, and enshrines Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken.
Founded in 1920, it is widely revered as a shrine connected to Japan’s Imperial family.
Despite being in central Tokyo, it is surrounded by a vast sacred forest of about 700,000 square meters, created with around 100,000 donated trees from across Japan, offering a quiet, solemn atmosphere that helps you forget the city’s bustle.
It is also known for attracting especially large numbers of worshippers during the New Year’s first shrine visit season (Hatsumōde).
How to Get to Meiji Jingu and Essential Visitor Info
Meiji Jingu is very convenient to access: it’s about a 1-minute walk from JR Harajuku Station’s West Exit (Omotesandō Gate) to the Minami-sandō entrance, and about a 1-minute walk from Exit 2 of Meiji-jingumae〈Harajuku〉Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line and Fukutoshin Line.
From Sangūbashi Station on the Odakyū Line, it’s about a 3-minute walk to the Nishi-sandō entrance—often considered a quieter, less-crowded route.
The grounds are spacious, and it takes about 10–15 minutes to walk from the approach entrance to the main shrine, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
In the nature-rich Meiji Jingu forest, you can enjoy seasonal scenery throughout the year, experiencing a special space of calm and mystery in the middle of the city.
Top Things to See at Meiji Jingu Shrine
Great Torii Gate (Second Torii)
The “Great Torii (Second Torii),” standing where the Minami-sandō and Kita-sandō approaches meet, is the largest wooden myōjin-style torii gate in Japan.
With an overwhelming scale—12 meters tall, 17.1 meters wide, pillars 1.2 meters in diameter, and weighing 13 tons—it is made from Taiwanese cypress.
Passing through this torii, a quiet forest spreads out as if you’ve entered another world.
The “First Torii” at the Minami-sandō entrance nearest Harajuku Station was rebuilt in recent years and has been renewed as a new torii made with Yoshino cedar.
Treasure Museum and Meiji Jingu Museum
Meiji Jingu has facilities that exhibit items connected to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken.
The “Treasure Museum” is designated as an Important Cultural Property as one of Japan’s early reinforced-concrete buildings, but it is currently closed.
The “Meiji Jingu Museum,” opened in 2019, allows you to view items related to the enshrined deities and historical materials from the Meiji era in a modern building designed by architect Kengo Kuma (Kuma Kengo).
General admission is 1,000 yen, and it’s recommended for those interested in Japan’s modern history.
Traditional Shinto Weddings
Meiji Jingu is also famous as a place where traditional Japanese Shinto weddings are held.
If you’re lucky, you may see a beautiful wedding procession featuring traditional attire such as shiromuku (white kimono) and iro-uchikake.
The sight of the bride and groom walking along the approach with their family is solemn and can become a special moment to experience Japanese traditional culture.
Kiyomasa’s Well (Kiyomasa no Ido)
Located inside Meiji Jingu’s Inner Garden (paid entry), “Kiyomasa’s Well” is a spring said to have been dug by Kiyomasa Katō (Katō Kiyomasa).
It is known as one of Tokyo’s leading “power spots,” and some believe visiting it improves your luck.
The clear water surface is beautiful, and visiting early in the morning is especially recommended, when light can stream onto the water and create a mysterious scene.
Opening hours for the garden vary by season.
Seasonal Nature and the Married Camphor Trees
In Meiji Jingu’s forest, you can enjoy different beauty each season: cherry blossoms in spring, around 1,500 iris plants across about 150 varieties in June, autumn foliage, and serene winter scenery in crisp air.
The “Married Camphor Trees (Meoto Kusu)” in front of the shrine buildings are sacred trees—two camphor trees tied together with a shimenawa rope—and are popular as a power spot for good relationships and marital harmony.
In the quiet forest, you can feel the changing seasons, and enjoy different scenery each time you visit.
How to Pray at Meiji Jingu: Shinto Etiquette
Because Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine, the basic prayer method is “two bows, two claps, one bow.”
First, make a small bow before passing through the torii, and when walking along the approach, it is polite to avoid the center and walk along the sides (the center is called seichū, considered the path of the deities).
At the temizuya (water pavilion), purify your left hand then right hand with the ladle, take water into your left hand to rinse your mouth, and finally hold the ladle upright to rinse the handle.
In front of the shrine, make an offering, then pray with two bows, two claps, and one final bow.
Unlike typical omikuji that show simple good/bad luck, Meiji Jingu’s fortunes are a unique format called “Ōmigokoro,” featuring waka poems composed by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken.
Useful Info for Travelers
- Gate hours: Opens at sunrise and closes at sunset (varies by month; examples: June around 5:00–18:30, December around 6:40–16:00)
- Access: About a 1-minute walk from JR Harajuku Station West Exit (Minami-sandō), about a 1-minute walk from Exit 2 of Meiji-jingumae〈Harajuku〉Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda/Fukutoshin lines
- Admission: Shrine grounds are free. The Inner Garden has an admission fee, and the Meiji Jingu Museum charges 1,000 yen.
- Best time to visit: The New Year’s Hatsumōde period (January 1–3), peak iris season (mid- to late June), and autumn foliage (late November to early December) are especially recommended.
- Time required: About 40 minutes to 1 hour for shrine worship only; about 1.5–2 hours if including a walk through the Inner Garden.
Summary
Meiji Jingu is a sacred place that quietly stands in the center of Tokyo.
Surrounded by silence and nature, you can spend a moment of calm while experiencing Japan’s traditions and history.
With new discoveries each time you visit and seasonal scenery to enjoy, it’s a place you’ll want to return to again and again.
When sightseeing in Tokyo, be sure to visit Meiji Jingu and experience Japanese culture firsthand.
We hope this article helps you plan your visit to Meiji Jingu.
Enjoy a special moment in Tokyo’s quiet forest as you experience Japan’s history and culture.
