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Meiji Jingu

A forest sanctuary beside the streets of Harajuku.

Why we love itFew places demonstrate Tokyo's contrasts so clearly: youth culture and crowded streets sit immediately beside a monumental forest sanctuary.

Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine surrounded by a vast man-made forest only minutes from Harajuku Station. The long approach through the trees creates a gradual transition from contemporary Tokyo into a quieter space shaped by ritual and nature.

Official name
明治神宮
Address
東京都渋谷区代々木神園町1-1
Area
Harajuku / Yoyogi
Nearest station
Harajuku / Meiji-jingumae
Hours
Sunrise to sunset (varies monthly; June ~5:00–18:30)

Good to knowFree to enter. Opening and closing follow sunrise and sunset and change monthly (June about 5:00–18:30). The walk from the entrance to the main shrine takes ~10 minutes.

Vibe
  • Forested
  • Spiritual
  • Calm
  • Monumental
Good for
  • Shinto culture
  • Quiet walks
  • Pairing with Harajuku
  • Morning visits
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