On our last few hours in Tokyo we decided to make a pit stop at the popular Meiji Shrine before heading to the airport. Meiji, a shinto shrine, was completed in 1920 and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken after their death. It is located in a gorgeous 170 acre forest area in the Shibuya district, in between Yoyogi Park and Harajuku Station, so be sure to stop by before or after exploring Takeshita Street!
My favorite part? As you walk under that gigantic torii gate it feels like you’ve been teleported out of the city. Another plus.. the August heat felt somewhat bearable as we walked under those big beautiful trees. Believe it or not there are over 100,000 trees that make up this forest. They were all donated from places across Japan and planted while the shrine was under construction. Cool huh?
Before walking into any shinto shrine you must stop at the “temizuya” or water basin to purify your mind and body. Use the ladles that are provided to wash both of your hands. You can also pour some water into your hand, sip it and swish it for a few seconds. Spit it out on the rocks at the bottom of the water basin.
If you’ve followed this blog for a while then you know my love for ema’s is strong!! I love this shot of a little boy writing down his wishes on wood.
It looked like it was about to rain, so we decided to head out… but not until we checked out the sake barrels!
^^ Katie answering some questions from a Japanese boy for his English class ^^
^^ a little more info on the story of the Meiji Shrine and these sake barrels ^^
Meiji Shrine
Address:
1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-8557
Hours:
Sun – Sat / 5:45 AM – 4:30 PM
There is a renovation currently going on in preparation for the shrines 100th anniversary in 2020. Which is why part of the gate of the main complex is covered with a photo.