I know we write a lot about Japan’s epic theme parks here. But actually, one of our favourite things to do when we’re in Japan is explore the country’s many shrines. And the Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo is one of the most scenic and iconic.

We visited the Meiji Jingu Shrine in the afternoon after spending the morning exploring Harajuku. The two locations are conveniently close, so this a great way to combine these two activities.

And if you have kids that aren’t keen on temples then you can balance this out with gatcha machines, brightly coloured junk food, and animal cafes in Harajuku. This contrast and balance is one of the things we love most about Japan.

Luckily for me, my boys are both big history buffs. They love exploring temples, churches, and historic monuments when we travel, and the shrines in Japan are no exception.

1. Why Explore the Meiji Jingu Shrine
2. The History of the Meiji Jingu Shrine
3. Top Tips For Visiting the Meiji Jingu Shrine With Kids
4. FAQs
   1. What Is The Meiji Shrine Location?
   2. What is the Meiji Jingu Shrine Entrance Fee?
   3. What are the Meiji Jingu Opening Hours?
5. Further Reading

Why Explore the Meiji Jingu Shrine

Wondering why you should explore the Meiji Jingu shrine? What makes this shrine so special? Well for us, it was that its set in a huge amount of woodland. The walk to the shrine is as lovely as the shrine itself!

There are over 100,000 trees in this forest here, donated from across Japan. This looks beautiful, and creates a lovely shade that means this is a great place to cool down during the summer months.

We used our visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine as an opportunity to explore the forest, and sit in Yoyogi Park. We’d actually picked up a picnic lunch from the SevenEleven in Harajuku and had a lovely time listening to the bird and munching on our sandwiches in comfortable silence.

Another reason I loved Meiji Jingu Shrine? This is a very popular shrine for weddings, particularly if you visit at the weekend. We were lucky enough to see a wedding procession taking place, and the bride and groom stopped to pose for photos. It was such a highlight!

Finally, it’s worth noting that visitors can participate in traditional Shinto practices at this shrine, such as making offerings and praying at the main hall. We encouraged the boys to bow as they walked through the torii gates into the shrine, to wash their hands, and even to say a prayer.

It’s such a wonderful way to embrace a new culture, and kids can learn by doing here.

The History of the Meiji Jingu Shrine

There are no official guided tours of the Meiji Jingu Shrine, so the best things to do if you want to share the history of the Meiji Jingu shrine with your kids is to read these crib notes, and then share it as your walking in an age-appropriate way.

I don’t promise to be a Japanese history expert, but what I can tell you is that this is a relatively modern shrine. The Meiji Jingu was built in 1920 to honour Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken and the contributions they’d made to Japan’s modernisation efforts.

Like so many buildings in Japan, the Meiji Jingu shrine was badly damaged during the Second World War, but it was then rebuilt and restored to its former glory. Since then, Meiji Jingu has become a symbol of modern Japan.

On the gravel path leading to the Meiji Jingu temple you’ll find a wall full of sake barrels. This is an iconic symbol of the shrine, and it does more than just look good. The barrels are donated to this Shinto shrine by Japanese sake brewers and they’re used for ceremonies and festivals.

In case you wondered, the sake barrels are all empty. But they are considered full of spiritual significance. There’s a long-standing association between deities and sake, with sake considered a tool to help people become closer to their Gods. When you understand this, the line of barrels seems less random and much more significant.

Top Tips For Visiting the Meiji Jingu Shrine With Kids

I know that kids get hungry and thirsty at unpredictable times, but please don’t eat and drink in the shrine.

As I said above, we stopped at a bench and had a picnic before we went into the shrine. Alternatively, as you approach the shrine from Harajuku station (on the right hand side) there is a visitor centre which has a restaurant and some food trucks. The restaurant is called the Forest Terrace and you can find out more here. This is the designated spot for eating or drinking if you need to feed suddenly starving kids.

You’ll also find the toilets here too. I recommend you stop, because you won’t find any other public toilets in the area!

We let the boys run on the paths leading up to the shrine – the beautiful park and forest setting is perfect for letting kids run off some steam. But once you pass into the shrine grounds, have them stay close to you and stop running. This is a place of religious worship, and it’s important to be respectful.

FAQs

What Is The Meiji Shrine Location?

One of the reasons why the Meiji Shrine is so popular is because of its location. Located right next to Yoyogi Park and just behind Harajuku station, you can enjoy the tranquility of the park and shrine before or after the neon, bustling chaos of Harajuku.

You can read my full article about visiting Harajuku with kids here.

The full address of the Meiji shrine is: 1-1 Yoyogikamizonochō, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-8557, Japan

What is the Meiji Jingu Shrine Entrance Fee?

People often ask about Meiji Jingu tickets, but the reality is that you can enter the main Meji Jingu shrine completely free of charge. No ticket is required to enter. This makes visiting this, and the other shrines in Japan, a great activity if you want to see as much of the nation’s culture as possible and you’re travelling on a budget.

There is a museum at the shrine and some separate gardens that you can pay to visit, but we didn’t do this because there’s so much to see in the main shrine itself.

What are the Meiji Jingu Opening Hours?

We visited the Meiji Jingu shrine in the middle of the afternoon. But the Meiji Jingu opening hours are much longer than you might expect. The shrine is open from sunrise to sunset, meaning the shrine is open much longer in the summer than in the winter.

This means that, unlike the Sensoji temple, you CAN’T visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine at night.

Here’s a table with the opening hours by month:

Month	Opening at:	Closing at:
January	6:40 am	4:20 pm
February	6:20 am	4:50 pm
March	5:40 am	5:20 pm
April	5:10 am	5:50 pm
May	5:00 am	6:10 pm
June	5:00 am	6:30 pm
July	5:00 am	6:20 pm
August	5:00 am	6:00 pm
September	5:20 am	5:20 pm
October	5:40 am	4:40 pm
November	6:10 am	4:10 pm
December	6:40 am	4:00 pm

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Further Reading

Visiting the Meiji Jingu Shrine as part of a larger trip to Tokyo with kids? I’ve got your back! Here’s a whole host of further reading to help make planning your family trip to Tokyo as simple and straightforward as possible:

• Harajuku with Kids: The Best Things To Do For The Whole Family
• One Day in Odaiba with Kids: Ultimate Itinerary For Families
• Best Value Whole Japan Rail Passes For Families in 2025
• Tokyo Disneyland Tips for 2025! What You Need to Know Before You Go (From a Mum Whose Been!)
• Pokemon Tokyo Experiences and Attractions (Perfect for Pokemon Fans!)

Have you visited the Meiji Shrine? Is this on your list of things to do in Tokyo? I think it’s a great place for families, and a great place to explore Japanese culture in an accessible way. I’d love to know your thoughts!

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