A stunning bird’s eye view of Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park from the observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

A stunning bird’s eye view of Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park from the observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. (Photo: Yunxuan Koh)

Discovering Meiji Shrine

An oasis of calm in the heart of Tokyo

Yunxuan Koh Apr 27, 2016 - 1 min read

A stunning bird’s eye view of Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park from the observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

The torii gate at the entrance of Meiji Shrine, marking the entrance to a peaceful oasis.

The gravel path to Meiji Shrine is lined with greenery on both sides .

Remnant raindrops from the drizzle earlier.

Stacks of sake barrels donated to the shrine for festivals and ceremonies.

Earnest wishes written on little wooden boards.

The peaceful shrine complex is filled with flora and fauna.

It was dusk and time to go. A visit to the shrine was a good respite from the middling crowds in Harajuku.

Meiji Shrine and the adjacent Yoyogi Park make up a large expanse of greenery in the heart of Tokyo. It is an oasis of calm and quiet for those who want to get away from the hurried pace of life in the bustling metropolis. I visited on a weekday evening, an hour before the closing time, and it was almost empty. It felt like I had left the city behind to step into a different world, albeit for just a few hours.

Meiji Shrine opens everyday from sunrise to sunset.

More info

Find out more about Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Yunxuan Koh

Yunxuan Koh @yx.koh

Spent a couple of months in Japan as an exchange student and got to explore all the beauty and quirks of this country