Meiji Jingu

Some reviews are AI-translated.

• Gina C

  8 Nov 2026 See More

  Visiting Meiji Jingu feels completely different from the lively streets of Harajuku outside. As soon as you enter, you can see a tall torii gate. Walking slowly along the wide gravel approach, with towering, dense trees on both sides, it feels as though you’ve instantly left the noise of the city behind. Walking through the forest feels very pleasant, and the air is especially fresh. The entire area is quiet and peaceful. At the main shrine, you can see many tourists and Japanese visitors who have come to worship, all sincerely offering their prayers. After visiting, I felt that this place was truly distinctive. Although it’s located in bustling central Tokyo, it preserves a quiet expanse of greenery where you can slow down and really experience Japanese shrine culture!

  • 

  View Original

  Like 0
• Jk

  24 Oct 2026 See More

  Leaving the bustling streets outside Harajuku Station and turning into Meiji Jingu, it feels like the entire world is instantly put on mute! The heavy traffic and noisy commotion of the city are suddenly shut out, replaced by dense greenery that blocks out the sky and the crunch of footsteps on the gravel path. The air is filled with the scent of grass and wood, making you want to take a deep breath as your whole body completely relaxes.
  The first thing that makes a powerful impression is the huge torii gate towering over the approach! The entire gate is made from massive, solid logs. Standing beneath it and looking up, its monumental presence is incredibly overwhelming. Above the pillars is a gleaming gold 16-petal chrysanthemum crest of the Japanese Imperial Family, which looks even more solemn and mysterious against the lush green forest. Just taking a photo underneath makes you look incredibly tiny, and you can immediately feel the extraordinary atmosphere of the entrance to sacred ground.
  As you slowly wander along the wide gravel approach, the most eye-catching sight—and the one where everyone is sure to stop and snap away—is definitely the spectacular wall of donated sake barrels! Hundreds of Japanese sake barrels wrapped in braided straw rope and decorated with beautiful calligraphy and designs bearing names like “Sakura Masamune,” “Ozeki,” and “Umenoyado” are neatly stacked into a towering wall several levels high. It has so much traditional Japanese festival character and is incredibly photogenic. Capture the perspective from an angle, and practically every shot becomes a fantastic classic check-in photo!
  After following the approach to the shrine’s main entrance, the Minami-shinmon Gate, the magnificent wooden two-story hip-and-gable gate is truly breathtaking! Its dark natural-wood structure, stately sweeping eaves, and bracket work look exceptionally imposing against the blue sky and white clouds. Step over the threshold into the open, pristine inner courtyard, walk across the spotless stone paving, and directly ahead is the main sanctuary dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Beside it stand the enormous, lush “married camphor trees,” symbolizing happy relationships. In the cool breeze, you can put your hands together in worship, clap and pray, then draw one of Meiji Jingu’s special “Ō-mikokoro” fortunes, which contain wisdom about life rather than good or bad luck. It feels as though your spirit has been gently cleansed.
  Hidden in the heart of Tokyo’s trendiest area, this man-made forest is not only vast and filled with shady trees, but also perfectly blends the solemnity of traditional Japanese Shinto with the healing power of nature. Whether you want to escape the city’s concrete jungle for some forest bathing or see the enormous wooden torii and impressive wall of sake barrels for yourself, Meiji Jingu is definitely a top sacred destination that remains breathtaking no matter how many times you visit Tokyo!

  • 
  • 
  • 

  View Original

  Like 2
• Queenie

  6 Oct 2026 See More

  Meiji Jingu Shrine is one of Tokyo’s most iconic shrines and is also a well-known attraction that consistently ranks first in Japan for the number of visitors during New Year’s. After exiting Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line, it’s about a 3-minute walk to the large torii gate at the southern approach. Once you pass through the gate and continue along the path, the bustling city scenery gradually gives way to a dense forest, as if you’ve suddenly entered another world.

  The entire forest is very peaceful, and along the way, you can experience a solemn yet natural Japanese atmosphere. It truly feels like a “forest in the city.” I set aside about an hour and a half this time. After visiting the main shrine, I bought a ticket to walk around the Inner Garden and enjoy the natural scenery, which changes with the seasons. Finally, I left via the northern approach and took the train from Yoyogi Station.

  • 
  • 

  View Original

  Like 1
• Ming Yu

  5 Sep 2026 See More

  Tokyo's best-known place of worship and forest retreat from the heat, Meiji Jingu Shrine!
  Right next to bustling Harajuku and Shibuya, the moment you enter the shrine grounds, you can feel the peace and solemnity of walking along the tree-lined approach. Before praying, you can purify your hands at the temizuya, then visit the amulet office to choose from various exquisite omamori and ema prayer plaques. Quiet and lush with greenery, it's a must-visit spiritual spot for experiencing traditional Japanese Shinto culture, praying for safety, and escaping the hustle and bustle of the city!

  • 
  • 

  View Original

  Like 0
• Linda Liao

  1 Sep 2026 See More

  Walking through Meiji Jingu Shrine feels like entering a vast, quiet, deep forest hidden within the city. The towering trees lining both sides of the approach make you feel cut off from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo as soon as you enter. Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken are enshrined here, and it is also one of Japan's most important shrines, attracting millions of worshippers every New Year.

  The enormous torii gate at the entrance is said to have been made from cypress from Alishan, Taiwan. As you walk along the gravel path, hearing the crunch beneath your feet and looking up at the towering torii gate, you feel a solemn sense of entering sacred grounds one step at a time.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  View Original

  Like 51