Meiji Shrine

Where it is & how to get there

• Train: JR Harajuku Station or Meiji-jingumae metro, 1 minute to the entrance.
• Walk: About 10 minutes along gravel paths through the forest to the shrine.
• Gate: Pass under one of Japan's largest wooden torii gates.

The story of Meiji Shrine

Meiji Jingu was completed in 1920 to honour Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, who led Japan's modernisation in the late 19th century. Rebuilt after World War II, it remains one of Tokyo's most visited shrines.

The surrounding forest was planted by hand with about 100,000 trees donated from across Japan, and it now feels like a natural woodland in the middle of the city.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Walk through the giant wooden torii gates in the morning calm.
• Walk through the forest slowly; it is a quiet escape from the city.
• Combine with Harajuku's Takeshita Street.

What's around Meiji Shrine

• HarajukuYouth fashion district.
• Yoyogi ParkLarge park next door.
• OmotesandoElegant shopping avenue.
• Tokyo CamiiTurkish-Ottoman style mosque, 15 minutes away.

Questions travellers ask