Meiji Jingu Shrine: Making a Wish in a Tokyo Forest
After arriving in Tokyo and passing through the bustling streets of Shibuya, you turn and suddenly find yourself in a tranquil, lush forest. This is the solemn and sacred Meiji Jingu Shrine. At the entrance stands a massive wooden myojin torii gate, said to have been built from a giant thousand-year-old cypress from Alishan, Taiwan. Looking up at it, you can truly feel a sense of awe and reverence.
As you follow the tree-lined path, sunlight filters through the leaves, and the noise of the city gradually fades away, leaving only the quiet rhythm of footsteps and rustling leaves. In front of the main shrine, the dark wooden buildings, gold accents, and elegant rooflines look especially dignified against the greenery.
The most interesting part is the votive tablet area. Countless ema are covered with wishes from people around the world. Some pray for success, some for safety, and others leave blessings for their families. We also sincerely wrote down our own wishes and hung them in the breeze. Perhaps the meaning of travel is to leave behind a beautiful hope for the next chapter—for ourselves and those we love—in an unfamiliar place.
