Meiji Jingu Shrine

Meiji Jingu is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, and it is the most significant Shinto shrine in Tokyo. What distinguishes Meiji Jingu from the city's many other shrines is the forest: 170 acres of deliberately planted evergreen woodland that has matured over a century into what feels like ancient growth, creating a dramatic transition from the urban density of Harajuku and Shibuya just outside its borders.

The main approach begins at a massive camphorwood torii gate near Harajuku Station and follows a wide gravel path through the forest for about ten minutes before reaching the main shrine complex. The architecture is restrained and austere — hinoki cypress wood, copper roof fittings, minimal ornamentation — in contrast to the more ornate Buddhist temples that visitors may have seen in Kyoto. On weekends, traditional Shinto wedding processions cross the courtyard, creating one of Tokyo's most photogenic moments. The shrine is free to enter and can be combined with Harajuku street fashion, Yoyogi Park, and the Ota Memorial Museum of ukiyo-e prints, all within walking distance.

Practical info

• Address: 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-8557
• Hours: Sunrise to sunset (varies seasonally; roughly 6:00-17:00 in winter, 5:00-18:00 in summer)
• Admission: Free
• Nearest station: Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote line) or Meiji-jingumae Station (Chiyoda, Fukutoshin lines)