Meiji Jingu Shrine

Meiji Jingu Shrine was established in 1920 to commemorate the virtues of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, who led Japan through the Meiji Restoration and the country's transformation into a modern state. Following the Emperor's death in 1912 and the Empress's in 1914, the Japanese people desired a place to pay their respects, leading to the construction of this grand Shinto sanctuary in the heart of Tokyo. The site chosen was an iris garden that the Imperial couple had frequently visited. During World War II, the original shrine buildings were destroyed during the Allied air raids of 1945. However, the spiritual significance of the site remained unshaken, and the shrine was meticulously reconstructed in 1958 through a massive public fundraising effort that demonstrated the enduring reverence the Japanese people held for the Meiji era. This restoration preserved the traditional Nagare-zukuri architectural style, utilizing Japanese cypress and copper plates for the roofs. The most remarkable aspect of Meiji Jingu is its man-made forest, which consists of over 100,000 trees donated from all over Japan and overseas at the time of its founding. Designed by forestry experts to become a self-sustaining ecosystem, the forest has matured over the last century into a dense, lush woodland that provides a sanctuary for diverse wildlife and a peaceful retreat for millions of visitors amidst the urban sprawl of Shibuya.