Another Believer, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Meiji Shrine
A hundred thousand trees planted by volunteers a century ago, in the middle of Tokyo. The walk in matters as much as the shrine at the end.
A forest that was planted on purpose
Meiji Jingu honours the Emperor Meiji, under whom Japan industrialised in a single generation, and the forest around it is entirely artificial — around 100,000 trees donated from across the country and planted by volunteers in the 1920s, designed to mature into the woodland it now is. The effect is startling: two minutes from Harajuku, one of the loudest places in Tokyo, the traffic noise simply stops. The shrine itself is understated. The gravel approach beneath the cedar torii is the part people remember.
Explore Meiji Shrine on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What to look for
Sequence matters — walk in slowly rather than heading straight for the main hall.
⛩ The approach
- The great cypress torii, twelve metres high
- The barrels of sake and, opposite, burgundy from Bourgogne — both offerings
🛕 The precinct
- The main hall, and the ema boards where wishes are hung
- Weekend Shinto weddings processing through the courtyard
🌿 The garden
- The Inner Garden, a separate small fee
- Its iris field peaks in mid-June
Getting to the shrine
Two entrances, and which you use changes the walk considerably.
🚇 By train
- Harajuku station or Meiji-jingumae for the southern entrance
- Yoyogi or Sangubashi for the quieter northern one
🚶 The walk in
- About ten minutes on gravel from the southern torii to the main hall
- Flat throughout, but the gravel is hard going for wheels
🕒 Hours
- Opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, so hours shift with the season
When to visit
A forest in a city — the earlier you are, the more it feels like one.
🌅 Early
- Opening at sunrise is the quietest and best hour
- You may see priests conducting the morning ritual
💍 Weekends
- Traditional weddings are common on Saturday and Sunday mornings
- Busier, but the processions are worth seeing
🎍 New Year
- The busiest shrine in Japan for the first shrine visit of the year — millions attend
Visitor intelligence
An active shrine with observances that visitors are welcome to follow.
🗣 Language
- Bilingual signage explains the etiquette clearly
- English is sufficient; no guide required
🎎 Guide value
- Useful if you want Shinto practice explained rather than just observed
- Pairs naturally with a Harajuku walk
📷 Photography
- Photography is not permitted directly in front of the main hall
- The torii and the tree-lined approach are the images that work
🙏 Etiquette
- Bow at the torii, walk to the side rather than the centre of the path
- At the hall: two bows, two claps, one bow
Close by
Harajuku and Shibuya are both on the doorstep.
Frequently asked
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