Harajuku is another place where many people will mark it on the schedule when they come to travel in Tokyo because it is a shopping place for fashinable clothes and you can find a unique dressing styles here. While Harajuku is a crowded place, there is a shrine where it is located near by, both peacefully and pleasantly, that shrine is Meiji Shrine.
Actually, Meiji Shrine is considered as another location where many people need to visit once because of its easy to access and the beautiful of the shrine. Once you step into the shrine area, walk through the Torii gate, you will see big trees on both sides of the walk way, could be called that you will not feel like you are staying in the city at all. The quietness and calmness of the walk way makes people feel calm. Visitting the shrince will not charge any fee, unless you want to enter the garden in the shrine’s area, you may need to pay for an extra entrance fee.
For the spot that everyone needs to take the picture with when they visit the shrine is the sake’s barrels that are located here, which will have different patterns. Many people may be curious about the sake barrels in the shrine, actually it is because of the difference in the beliefs of each country and sake is used in the celebration. When you enter the shrince, you can make a wish or write them on the tag and hang them in the shrine. You can also buy the amulet to bring you luck.
For those who visit the shrine during the new year’s eve, the shrine will hold an event in the evening of the 31th December untill the 1st January. There will be many shops in the event such as grilling shop, ramen, dunngo (rice dumpling), grilled fish, beverages, and dessert along with the place where you can sit and enjoy the food, which fits for those who want to make a wish on New Year.
For those who are willing to make a wish over the year, there will be staffs who will take care and manage the process for you. There are lots of people who stading in the cold, waiting in a line in order to enter into the shrine and make a wish when it comes the 1st January. For those who don’t care much about waiting for the 1st January to come, you can walk to the right to enter the shrine first without having to wait.
For the transportation, it is very convenient, you just take the Yamanote line to Harajuku Station and walk to the Omotasasnso Exit, then you will find the shrine in just a minute walk. But you need to come a early as the shrine will open for entrance only 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (the closing time depends on the season). And for those who want to come to make a wish on New Year, you don’t need to worry about not having the train to go back because there will be trains provided the whol night untill morning on this day and Meiji Shrine will also open the gate where you can enter the train station easily, could be called that they will provide a full service for your convenient.
Who have planned to come to Japan during New Year but don’t know where to go yet, I am highly recommend Meiji Shrine. I guaranteed that you will experience Japanese festical, taste a tasty food, and receive the luck since the beginning of the year.
Information
Store name:Meiji Shrine
Address : 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-8557, Japan
Phone : +81 3-3379-5511
Hours : 6AM-5PM (depends on season)
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