# Meiji Shrine > Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, set within a 70-hectare evergreen forest in central Tokyo. - Prefecture: Tokyo - Type: Shrine - Address: Tokyo, Japan - Official site: https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/en/ The forest here is younger than it looks. When Emperor Meiji died in 1912 and Empress Shoken two years later, the city set aside marshy ground at Yoyogi and planted roughly 120,000 trees of some 365 species, all donated from across Japan and from Japanese communities overseas. The foresters who designed it were planning 150 years ahead, and the woodland got there early. Seventy hectares of evergreens now sit between Harajuku and Shinjuku, and they swallow the traffic noise within about thirty seconds of the first torii. That first gate is roughly twelve metres tall, cut from a cypress that had been growing on a Taiwanese mountain for around 1,500 years. The one standing today went up in 1975 after lightning destroyed the 1920 original. The gravel approach takes about ten minutes to walk and it is deliberately loud underfoot. Partway along, a wall of sake barrels donated by brewers faces a rack of Burgundy wine casks, which is a nod to how thoroughly Emperor Meiji embraced Western habits. The shrine buildings themselves are plain. They were rebuilt in 1958 after the 1945 firebombing, and anyone arriving from Nikko or Kyoto expecting gold leaf will be underwhelmed. The point is the approach, not the architecture. Ema plaques hang in dozens of languages near the main hall, and the omikuji sold here are not fortunes at all but poems written by the imperial couple, with an English translation on the back. Shinto weddings process through the courtyard most weekends, the bride under a red parasol, and everyone stops to watch. Entry to the grounds is free. The Inner Garden costs 500 yen and is worth it in mid-June, when about 150 varieties of iris flower in the beds Emperor Meiji laid out for his wife. Kiyomasa's Well at the far end draws a queue of people who have read that it is a power spot. Hatsumode brings more than three million visitors in the first three days of January, more than anywhere else in Japan, and the queue from the torii can run over two hours. The gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, so the posted hours shift every month. Come at opening and you will have the gravel to yourself. ## FAQ ### How do I get to Meiji Shrine? Take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station (the shrine entrance is right across the street) or the Metro Chiyoda/Fukutoshin Line to Meiji-jingumae Station. The walk through the forest to the main shrine takes about 10 minutes. ### Is Meiji Shrine free to visit? Yes, the shrine and its forest grounds are free to visit. The Inner Garden (Meiji Jingu Gyoen) requires a separate admission of 500 yen and is known for its iris garden in June. ### When is the best time to visit? Early morning offers the most peaceful atmosphere. Avoid the first week of January (New Year's Hatsumode) unless you want to experience the crowds, since over 3 million people visit during this period. Weekend mornings often feature traditional Shinto weddings. ### What's the story behind the Meiji-jingu forest? The 70-hectare forest of approximately 100,000 trees from 365 species was planted between 1915–1920 by 110,000 volunteers, every single tree donated from across Japan and abroad. Designed by botanists to be a self-sustaining 'eternal forest' that needs no human maintenance, it has now matured into a true climax forest. Today it's considered one of Tokyo's most successful ecological projects, with rare birds and insects thriving here. Stay on the gravel paths; the forest interior is protected. --- Source: Meiji Shrine — Japan Voyage