Meiji Shrine
A century-old forest in the centre of Tokyo, planted by volunteers.
Meiji Jingu sits inside a 70-hectare forest that was designed and planted by volunteers in the 1920s. A hundred years later, it has grown into a dense, self-sustaining woodland in the heart of Shibuya — a transition from city to forest that happens in the space of a few steps through the torii gate. The shrine itself, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, was rebuilt in 1958 after wartime bombing, using cypress from Kiso in Nagano. The architecture is Shinto at its most refined: clean lines, unpainted wood, copper roofing that has aged to green. The gravel path leading to the main hall filters the city noise to nothing. For Scandinavians, the idea of a designed forest is not unusual — think Stockholm's Djurgarden or Oslo's Nordmarka. But Meiji Jingu achieves something remarkable: a century-old forest that feels ancient, in a city of 14 million.
Good to know
- 70-hectare forest planted in the 1920s
- Free entry — open sunrise to sunset
- Cypress wood architecture from Kiso, Nagano
- Short walk from Harajuku or Meiji-Jingumae stations
- Early morning visits are near-empty
Location
- 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8557
- Nearest station: Tokyo Station / Shinjuku Station
- From Tokyo: 0 min (du är redan i Tokyo)
- Best time to visit: Evening