Enjoy Nature and Art at the Meiji Shrine

The beautiful Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jing), built-in 1915 and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shken, was completed in 1926. Although the old building was destroyed during World War II, it was reconstructed in 1958 and is still one of the most significant religious sites in Tokyo.

The shrine's highlights include its Inner Precinct (Naien), which houses a museum with royal treasures, and the Outer Precinct. The Inner Precinct is surrounded by a 175-acre evergreen forest that is home to about 120,000 trees representing species found across Japan, as well as the fascinating "wishing tree," on which visitors can write and hang their deepest wishes (Gaien). The Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery, which has a beautiful collection of paintings depicting the life of the emperor and empress, is housed in the Outer Precinct.