Meiji Jingu Shrine

Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It is primarily dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji (the 122nd emperor and the first of modern Japan) and his consort, Empress Shōken. Officially opened in 1920, the shrine spans 70 hectares and is situated next to the major commercial districts of Harajuku and Shinjuku. It stretches from Yoyogi to Harajuku Station and, together with the adjacent Yoyogi Park, forms the largest green space in central Tokyo (excluding the Imperial Palace grounds). In official documents, the character for "shrine" (宮) follows an ancient Japanese writing style, omitting the middle stroke in the lower part of the character “呂,” and is written as "明治神宫".

At the intersection of the north and south approach paths within the shrine stands a massive wooden torii gate, one of the largest of its kind in Japan. The torii stands 12 meters tall, with a span of 9.1 meters between the two pillars, each about 1.2 meters in diameter. It is built in the "Myojin torii" style.

To access the main shrine buildings from outside, visitors must pass through either the north or south approach paths, with the south path being the most frequently used. This path is generally closed to vehicular traffic, and on weekends, it's common to see young people gathering there with speakers, dressed in homemade cosplay costumes, singing and dancing. This has created a unique cultural scene around the Harajuku area. These young performers enjoy being watched and photographed, attracting many foreign tourists and making the location one of Tokyo's well-known tourist attractions.

On New Year’s Eve, Japanese people visit shrines for their first prayers of the year, a tradition known as hatsumōde. Meiji Shrine consistently ranks as the most visited shrine in the Tokyo area for hatsumōde, and for many years, it has had the highest number of New Year visitors in Japan.

Notably, the omikuji (fortune-telling paper slips) at Meiji Shrine are quite special. Unlike typical fortunes that indicate luck levels, Meiji Shrine’s omikuji feature selected verses from over ten thousand waka poems composed by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken. These verses carry deep cultural and spiritual significance.