Meiji Shrine

Hi, everyone!!

I am Takashi and study law at the Keio University. I'm really happy to join this forum.

I'm in charge of one of three or four city tours, and in this tour, we willl go to 'Meiji shrine'. Last Monday, I went there with tourists from western countries and went over this place. So, today, I would like to explain about Meiji shirine to you.

Meiji shrine is dedicated to the divine souls of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Emperor Shoken. After their demise, people wished to commemorate their virtues and to venerate them forever, and so this shrine was constructed, and their souls were enshrined in 1920. The original Meiji shrine was burnt down in air raids during the Second World War. The present shrine buildings date from November 1958.

This area is covered by an evergreen forest of 120,000 trees of 365 different species, which were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established. This 700,000 square-meter forest is visited by many people both as a spiritual home of the people and as a recreation and relaxation area centre of Tokyo.

Emperor Meiji was born in 1852. During the Meiji Era (1862-1912), Japan flourished the Meiji Constitution, established parliamentary institutions, promoted friendship with overseas countries, and fostered the development of the nation in every cultural field. It was the most glorious and prosperous period of all the Japanese history of more than 2,000 years. It was in that period that the bases of modern Japan were built up.

This is an outline of Meiji shrine. Last Monday, we had a great time there. Meiji shrine is a really quiet place and good to know Japanese traditional culture.

I am looking forward to spending time with you during this forum, and I hope that you will join this tour!!