The shrine was built in 1920 and enshrines Emperor Meiji and his wife. They lived during the Meiji period which spanned from 1868 to 1911. This shrine is the most popular shrine in the Tokyo Metropolitan area attracting over 3 million visitors during the New Year holidays alone. When spring and autumn festivals are held, traditional performances such as Noh drama, ancient court music and dancing can be viewed.
Emperor Meiji passed away in 1912 and his wife in 1914. After their demise, the Japanese people wished to commemorate their virtues. People from all over Japan, and overseas, donated over 100,000 trees and worked voluntarily to create a forest. The shrine covers an area of 700,000 square meters and consists of 170,000 trees of 250 different species.
Despite being in the midst of a bustling metropolis like Tokyo, visitors can feel a sense of calm when visiting Meiji Shrine due in large part to the surrounding forest. Because weddings are frequently conducted here, you may see a traditional style wedding ceremony. The architecture of the main hall is from the Heian Period which spanned from 794 to 1192.
Open : From sunrise(5am to 6:40am) to sunset(4:00pm to 6:30pm) , every day of the year
Admission: Free