Meiji-Jingu Shrine Tokyo, Japan

You can spend a lifetime in Tokyo and just barely scratch the surface of all the sites that can be visited. We went to the Meiji-Jingu ShrineMeiji-Jingu Shrine (http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/index.html) which is a Shinto shrine located in the middle of Tokyo. It was created after the death of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken in 1912 and 1914, respectively. The people wanted to commemorate the virtuous life of the Emperor and his wife so over 100,000 trees were donated from all over the country and volunteers spent the next few years building a forest in the heart of Tokyo.

Regardless of which side of the forest you enter from, you will come across a Torii, or Shrine Archway. To show respect, you are supposed to bow when entering and again when leaving.

As you walk towards the heart of the Shrine, you will come across a Temizuya, or a cleansing fountain. It is customary to cleanse yourself prior to entering the shrine. The cleansing consists of rinsing both hands and mouth. 

Entering the main shrine is done through the gateways.

The property is very well maintained so eat, drink and take photos only in designated areas. Photos can only be taken outside. Good rule of thumb, if there is a roof over your head, you cannot take photos or videos.

One of my favorite photos depicting the contrast between past and present. In the background you can see a building that has some resemblence to the Empire State Building in New York. This building, the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building, is the third tallest building in Tokyo and is considered the tallest clock tower in the world.