Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine was established on November 1, 1920 (Taisho 9), to enshrine the spirits of Emperor Meiji (who passed away in 1912) and Empress Shoken (who passed away in 1914). Before Emperor Meiji, most Japanese emperors were puppets of the samurai government or shogunate generals. In 1867, under the influence of figures like Ryoma Sakamoto, the Tokugawa shogunate led by Yoshinobu Tokugawa returned political power to the Emperor, and Emperor Meiji, with great talent and determination, promoted the Meiji Restoration, leading Japan into a new era of modernization and Westernization. He promulgated the Constitution of the Empire of Japan, establishing a modern legal administrative order. During the Meiji period, Japan underwent significant reforms, greatly enhancing its productivity and transforming from a backward feudal state into a major international power. After Emperor Meiji's death in 1912, both the Japanese government and the public intended to build a shrine to honor and commemorate him. On May 1, 1915, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the construction of Meiji Shrine. Due to the traditional Japanese belief system of Shintoism being elevated to a status equivalent to a state religion during the Meiji era. The grand torii gate at the intersection of the north and south approach paths to the shrine is the largest wooden torii in Japan; it stands 12 meters tall, with a span of 9.1 meters between the pillars, and a pillar diameter of 1.2 meters. The first torii was built in 1920 from 1,200-year-old trees felled by the Governor-General of Taiwan, but it was damaged by lightning in 1966 (Showa 41). The current second-generation torii was reconstructed in 1971 using 1,500-year-old cypress trees from Danda Mountain, procured from Taiwan's Zhenchang Industrial Co., Ltd., following the design of the first torii. The main buildings of Meiji Shrine were destroyed during World War II and were rebuilt in November 1958. The southern part was converted into Yoyogi Park; the western part became Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium; outside the southern wall is the famous Omotesando, and opposite it is the ship-shaped National Yoyogi Gymnasium, built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Currently, Meiji Shrine has 36 buildings that are important cultural properties of Japan.