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Meiji Shrine opening hours. Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo is one of the largest Shinto shrines in the land of the rising sun.

Address: 1-1, Kamizono-chō Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku Tokyo 151-0053
Telephone: +81 3379-5511
Official website: www.meijijingu.or.jp
Date of foundation: 1920
Area of the sanctuary: 708200 sq. m
Operating mode: 06:20-16:00 (November-February), 05:00-18:00 (March-October)
Entry fee: for free

Each cultural sector necessarily bears its imprint. Japanese temples are no exception; they are designed to preserve the country's religious traditions. In addition, temples are objects of sacred architecture, which the Japanese treat with special reverence. The largest and most popular sacred site in the city is the Meiji Jingu Shinto Shrine. Townspeople turn here for the blessing of the gods in various life endeavors.

History of the shrine

Meiji Jingu Shrine, located in the Shibuya district, in the city's Eegi Park, is a kind of tomb for Emperor Mutsuhito and his wife, Empress Shoken. Upon ascending the throne, Mutsuhito took his middle name Meiji, which means “enlightened reign.” During the reign of the monarch, Japan retreated from self-isolation and became a country open to the outside world.

After the death of the imperial couple, a social movement arose in Japan to create a temple. The shrine was built in 1920, but the temple was destroyed during World War II. In 1958, thanks to the help of many Japanese, the Meiji Shrine was completely restored. Currently, it is extremely popular among believers and is considered a religious symbol of Tokyo.

Architectural features of the building

The territory of the sanctuary, consisting of religious buildings, gardens and forests, covers an area of more than 700 thousand square meters. m. The building itself is a typical example of Japanese temple architecture. The main hall, where prayers are read for the imperial couple, was built in the Nagarezukuri style from cypress wood. The treasury museum is made of stone in the Azekurazukuri style. There are items here from the reign of Mutsuhito.

The Meiji Shrine building is surrounded by an amazing garden filled with many varieties of shrubs and trees. Almost every tree was planted by local Japanese as a sign of respect to the emperor. The external garden is used as a venue for sporting events. It is also home to the Meiji Memorial Hall, which houses more than 80 murals commemorating the life of the emperor.

How to get to Meiji Shrine?

Anyone can visit this unique attraction. Most convenient way To get to the shrine grounds, take the JR Yamanote subway line and get off at Harajuku Station. You can use ground. The closest stop in this case will be Ngubashi Station.

Meiji Shrine or, as it is also called, Meiji Jingu, is the tomb of the great Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. This is the largest Shinto shrine, which appeared in 1920 thanks to a public initiative. The Japanese were so grateful to their emperor that they decided to perpetuate his memory by creating the largest Shinto shrine, which is conveniently located in the very depths of Yoyogi City Park. The sanctuary was built in classical Japanese style. This is a kind of pinnacle of the architectural creation of ordinary people.

To see the majestic park, you need to drive to Kamizono-cho Yoyogi. This place is easy to find as the sanctuary occupies a fairly large area, which is surrounded by lush vegetation. On the territory of the park, which is laid out directly around the Japanese temple, almost all the trees that are found on the territory of the state grow, from inkgo to cypresses and sakura.

Features of a Japanese temple

The shrine is an example of the traditional Japanese Nagarezukuri style. For the construction of the temple, cypress trees growing in the territory of Kiso were used in large quantities - mountain range, which is located in the central part of the island of Honshu. Kiso is otherwise called the Japanese Alps. The Meiji building itself is surrounded by a picturesque garden, on the territory of which grows an incredible number of unique plants found in various forests and parks of the Land of the Rising Sun.

One thing worth noting interesting feature– in the park located around the emperor’s tomb, various sports competitions are often held. There is also an Art Gallery of the memorial, consisting of 80 frescoes that depict memorable events and significant dates of the imperial couple.

The Outer Garden, which houses the Meiji Memorial (Wedding) Hall, is a revered place, as it is here that even today wedding celebrations are held in best traditions Shinto religion.

Numerous tourists visiting a temple in Japan can receive an “omikuji” - a small piece of paper with a fortune on it. English. What is this prophecy? As a rule, these are several lines in poetic form, written by the emperor or his wife. By contacting a Shinto priest, every visitor to a Japanese shrine will be able to receive an interpretation of their prediction.

How to behave properly at the Japanese Meiji Shrine?

In the guidebook, which every visitor to a Japanese temple can take, one can read very important information, which teaches the rules of conduct in a Shinto shrine:

First of all, this applies to those who wish to receive divine support - clothing and appearance must correspond to the current situation. Often dressed-up young people and crowds of tourists in regular shorts or jeans walk around the temple grounds. If the purpose of your visit to the temple is to receive support from the highest powers, you should be more thoughtful about your appearance.
Before entering the inner territory of the imperial tomb, you should rinse your mouth and hands in the sacred fountain. This is the oldest custom in the Shinto religion - the rite of purification is one of the most important and revered.
Approaching the main building, every tourist or ordinary visitor can give the gods a few coins by throwing them into a special box located near the entrance. It is advisable to throw coins from afar so that they ring and can awaken the powers of God so that they turn their attention to the person who donates his money.
After this, it is advisable to bow twice towards the main altar and clap your hands twice (this is just in case the gods decide to take a nap again) and bow again.

That's all. After this, the supreme powers will certainly turn their attention to the person asking. And for greater persuasiveness and confidence that going to the temple will bring fulfillment of desires, you can turn to the gods in writing, leaving your request on a wooden “ema” sign. These signs are posted around majestic tree, and at the end of the year they are burned on a sacred fire. Thus, all desires go up with the smoke.

Foreign tourists and residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are happy to buy up amulets and talismans that are sold in the adjacent park. Here you can buy a family amulet, protection from damage and the evil eye, an amulet for successful studies or driving a car... In a word, there would be a problem, and protection from it would certainly find its owner. Fortune telling based on waka verses is very popular on the territory of the imperial tomb. Over the course of his entire life, the emperor and his wife created many works that were written as an edification to future generations.

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Meiji Shrine, located in the Shibuya district, in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, is the largest Shinto shrine in the metropolis. It is dedicated to Emperor Meiji, known as Mutsuhito, and Empress Shoken, who ruled the state in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The idea of creating a monastery was born after the death of the imperial couple and in 1920 it was brought to life. However, the building did not last long and during the Second World War it became a victim of numerous bombings. At the end of hostilities, the temple was restored and has been welcoming visitors again since 1958. Nowadays, the building enjoys great attention among believers and is considered a religious symbol of the capital of Japan.

The territory of the Meiji Shrine covers an area of more than 700 thousand square meters, and the trees and shrubs surrounding the temple harmoniously complement its appearance, embodying the traditions of Japanese temple architecture. Particularly noteworthy is the picturesque Inner Garden, which displays many varieties of plants growing in the country rising sun. Thousands of Japanese took part in its formation, donating their own bushes and trees for the benefit of the monastery. Just over a kilometer away is the Meiji Jingu Outer Garden, known as a center for sports competitions. At the end of the alley, lined with ginkgo trees, is the Meiji Memorial Art Gallery, containing several dozen large murals depicting events in the life of the Emperor and Empress. In another corner of the Outer Garden is the Meiji Memorial Hall. Lavish Shinto wedding ceremonies are still held there to this day.

The territory of the monastery is surrounded by a carved fence, and you can get inside through an impressive wooden gate, considered the largest in the country, made of wood. Directly behind the temple is the Meiji Treasury, containing personal belongings of the imperial couple and unique works of art that decorated the interior. It fits perfectly with the Nagarezukuri architectural style, which features the main building, a small pond with white water lilies, so beloved by the wife of Emperor Mutsuhito.

At the moment, Meiji Shrine is very popular not only among foreign tourists, but is also highly revered by the Japanese themselves, who often come here from different parts of the country to pay tribute to the memory of the great emperor, undergo a wedding ceremony, or introduce their children to the history of the state. The monastery fits perfectly into the landscapes of the Shibuya area and is rightfully one of the main religious attractions

Meji Jingu is the most significant, largest and most popular Shinto shrine in Tokyo. The Japanese come here to ask for the blessings of the gods in various life endeavors, be it a wedding, the birth of a child, business projects, or simply passing an important exam at school or university.

The souls of Emperor Meiji, who during his lifetime bore the name Mutsuhito, and his wife Empress Shoken “live” in this sanctuary.

Emperor Mutsuhito reigned in Japan from 1868-1912. History says that the country has never known such a powerful leap in development as during this period, when Japan from a feudal backward state turned into one of the leading world powers. Mutsuhito was the natural son of Emperor Komei, and inherited the throne from his father at the age of 15. With his accession to the throne, a new era began, called Meiji - “enlightened rule”.

They say that kings do not belong to themselves, because they belong to the entire country and history, and therefore, with all their apparent power, they often turn out to be deeply unhappy people, deprived of the right to act in accordance with their convictions. Oddly enough, but one of the most revered emperors in Japan, declared an absolute monarch; "great reformer"; the first ruler who warmly accepted Western civilization and radically changed the face of the country, as a person was deeply alien to all the changes that were happening in his name.

As the supreme ruler, he was present at all meetings, but never took part in discussions; he was almost always silent and only signed decrees that were written on behalf of the emperor. Anyone who watched the film “The Last Samurai” probably remembers the modest, silent young man - the Emperor of Japan during the Meiji reign.

The largest wooden torii in the country leads to the shrine. Sake barrels are an offering to the temple.

He was an outspoken conservative and deeply revered the traditions that had developed at court over many centuries, but it was his signature that appeared on documents that broke the centuries-old foundations of Japanese society.

Not wanting to deviate from the path of his predecessors even in small things, he was nevertheless forced to wear alien and uncomfortable clothes - all these frock coats and uniforms, sewn according to Western patterns. For the nation, he remained a living deity, whom mere mortals were forbidden to touch, so all the suits fit him baggy: the tailor could only take measurements from a distance, and sewed trousers and jackets “by eye.”

Just like his divine ancestors, in addition to his legal wife, he had a harem of concubines, but at social events he was forced to appear with his wife and portray a happy Western-style married couple. Once he was even forced to walk with her in public, arm in arm, which was completely unacceptable according to old Japanese etiquette. It was on the anniversary of the “silver” wedding. They say that Mutsuhito was forced to give in, but after walking a few steps, he could not bear such shame and ran far away from the shame.

The South Gate is located opposite the main pavilion

At his core, a peaceful person, but it was under Mutsuhito that Japan fought with Korea, China, and then with Russia.

We cannot know how consciously Matsuhito played his role in turning the ship of Japanese history on a new course. It is known that Mutsuhito drank a lot, and not only traditional Japanese sake, but also Western wines that suited his taste. On the path leading to the Meiji Shrine, there are barrels of red Burgundy wines: this is how the Western world expressed its gratitude to the first “Westernized” emperor of Japan, whose spirit dwells in the temple.

It is also known that the emperor expressed his timid protest against the innovations of civilization by prohibiting the installation of electricity in his palace: until his death, the palace was illuminated only by candles. They say the “great reformer” was so far from civilization that at first he mistook a chamber pot for something that was placed under the head at night.

Be that as it may, Emperor Mutsuhito will forever remain in the memory of the grateful Japanese. Eight years after his death, a new shrine was built in 1920, called Meiji Jingu. The temple building was destroyed during the bombing of World War II: the Americans viewed Emperor Meiji as a symbol of militaristic Japan, and targeted bombs on this sanctuary. The restoration of the temple and the surrounding park was completed in October 1958. People from all over Japan brought trees and bushes here. As a result, 365 plant species have been collected on an area of more than 700,000 sq.m.

Temple sanctuary courtyard

In the guidebook, which can be freely taken when visiting the temple, we are taught to correctly express our respect to the royal spirits:

1. First of all, if you have serious intentions of receiving divine support, your appearance and clothing must match. The Japanese follow this clause only on special occasions, crowds local residents roam here with a noisy, cheerful din. Most of them are wearing jeans or even shorts. Cheerful, dressed-up young people often come here during Sunday costume parties taking place nearby.

2. Before entering the inner area, you must rinse your hands and mouth in the sacred fountain. This custom is characteristic of all Japanese temples: the rite of purification is the main action in Shintoism.

3. You go to the main building and, if you wish, you can give the gods a few coins by throwing them into a special box. They say that you should throw coins from afar so that they ring and the deities wake up from their sacred slumber, paying attention to you.

Sacred dancing during the annual festival

That's it, consider your mission accomplished: the gods have heard you. Isn’t it true, it’s hard to think of a simpler way to pray. To prevent the spirits from forgetting your request, you can contact them in writing using a special wooden “ema” sign. Such signs are hung here on boards installed around a luxurious tree. At the end of the year, these “petitions” will be burned on a sacred fire, and all requests will go to heaven to the gods along with the smoke.

People are also happy to buy amulets that provide protection and favor in various situations: you can buy an amulet against the evil eye, for family well-being, for the successful completion of childbirth, for successful studies, safe driving... in general, there would be a problem, but there will be an amulet .

One of the most popular types of fortune telling on the temple grounds is fortune telling based on the waka verses left to us by the emperor and his wife. Matsuhito created about 100 thousand creations during his life, the empress - 30 thousand. All of them are written as an edification to the living.

Here are some of them:

Moon