Meiji-jingu Shrine

Japan -03/31/- 04/08/2017

Day 1- Meiji-Jingu Shrine -4/1/2017

Meiji-Jingu Shrine is located in Shibuya, Tokyo and is dedicated to the late 19th-century emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. However, the shrine does not contain the emperor's grave as it was moved to Fushimi-momoyama, south of Kyoto. The shrine was destroyed during the Second World War but was rebuilt shortly thereafter. Emperor Meiji was the first emperor of modern Japan. He was born in 1852 and ascended to the throne in 1867 at the peak of the Meiji Restoration when Japan's feudal era came to an end and the emperor was restored to power. During the Meiji Period, Japan modernized and westernized herself to join the world's major powers by the time Emperor Meiji passed away in 1912.

As soon as you get off Harajuku Station, just follow the crowd and you will see a towering wooden gate "Torii" leading to the forest and to Meiji Shrine.

The 40-foot-high torii gate at the entrance to the 200-acre park is made of 1,500-year-old cypress.

Group picture with Mai and Thierry. It was a rainy day but by the time we got Meiji-jingu the rain stopped but it was a cold day.

Meiji Shrine is located in large evergreen forest (700,000 m²) that stretches north of Yoyogi Park. The Meiji Shrine's land was a private park that was owned by the Imperial Household. Both the Emperor and Empress enjoyed it immensely and he even wrote a poem about it.

Walking into an evergreen forest that consists of 120,000 trees of 365 different species, which were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established.

I am not sure of what is in here but we had to pay to get in so we just skipped in.

Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels called kazaridaru, which means “decoration barrels.”The barrels on display are empty, at least in physical terms. Spiritually, they’re chock full of significance. These barrels are a decorative display giving honor to the gods. Traditionally, the people of Japan have always had a connection between the gods and the Sake they produce. Each year many barrels of Sake are donated. The Sake is used for religious festivals and the barrels form a unique display outside the shrine.

Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels are standard decoration at every shrine in Japan. You do not even need to be part of a shrine to get one for your home. These Sake barrels are called Komodaru. Komo is the straw that has been woven around the posts. You can even buy one for your home altar. The important part is the symbolism. Every Japanese desires to keep the gods pleased with them. Sake barrels are the link between them and their gods. It is a heart connection. Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels are a must for every Japanese home altar!

60 wine barrels neatly arranged in an organized fashion and marked by significance of the barrels. The Meiji emperor believed in taking the good from other lands and rejecting the bad. In an endeavor to promote modernization while also keeping Japan’s age old spirit and traditions, he adopted many of the western features and set an example by taking western food and in particular enjoying wine with it. Thus, in his honor, the French contributed these barrels of wine which today stand as an earnest prayer in peace and amity amongst the two countries.

This is the biggest wooden “TORII” of the Myojin style in Japan. Made with 1500 years old Cypress tree (Hinori) from Mt.Tendai-sa,Taiwan.
Height:12m, length of cross piece: 17m, Diameter of each piller:1.2m

Cleansing station where you can dip into a communal water tank and purify your hands and mouth before offering up a prayer.

Cleaning my hands like everybody else. A lot of people are drinking the water but you are supposed to only rinse your mouth and the spit it out.

As we are walking out a police officer move the traffic to one side of the walk way...