Meiji Shrine Kaguraden in Shibuya-ku

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comments 5

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  Jui Hong Teoh

  :: 18 December 2017 20:40:08

  Just to the north of Harajuku station is the Meiji Shrine, one of the most important shrines in Japan. Dedicated to the Emperor Meiji, the first emperor of modern Japan, it’s surrounded by a huge park that feels to me more like a forest. It’s nice to escape the bustle of Harajuku surrounded by people and find yourself at the Meiji Shrine surrounded by nature. Incredibly peaceful here. Sake seems like a good idea right about now. Barrels of them right outside the Meiji Shrine as offering to the soul of the emperor enshrined here. This is the Otorri, the Grand Shine Gate. Largest wooden Torri gate in the Myojin style. I was there in the evening which is really pleasant. Less crowded compared to the day and you get to enjoy the evening sun blazing across the sky. Lovey. It’s quite a distance of a walk from the main gates into the shrine where the bustling noise of busy city life in Harajuku replaced with such serene peacefulness the closer you get to the shrine. Once at the shrine, you can partake in the many Shinto rituals. There’s a cleansing station where you can wash your hands and be refreshed before heading inside the shrine itself. You can write wishes on little pieces of paper and hang it out on the wall. It’s peaceful to walk around here, and apparently there’s a remote chance I might actually bump into a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony, since many couples might come here for blessing as it is the shrine of the Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken.

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  B T

  :: 17 October 2017 07:40:05

  Magnificent inside. Beautiful.

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  Gregory Tada

  :: 26 March 2017 17:01:38

  Absolutely lovely. Some find the location a bit jarring, but I love the juxtaposition of the hyper atmosphere of Harajuku and this serene sanctuary. Definitely don't miss!

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  Karl Alberto

  :: 15 March 2017 09:11:30

  Hard to get isolated photo opportunities, but still a great place to stop by and walk around

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  Ming Zhang

  :: 25 February 2017 15:17:29

  It's a very nice shrine, one with a lot of goings on. It's quite jarring to have the forest and shrine situated right next to Harajuku but it's quite nice - a serene break from the bustling city of Tokyo. If you're interested in some tradition Japanese ceremonies, or just a walk through a nice area, definitely check it out.