Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park

The Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine commemorating the Emperor Meiji, who died in 1912. It is set in an evergreen forest of trees donated from all over Japan. Being near the centre of Tokyo, I was amazed to see kingfishers diving for fish at one of the lakes. Also, given the size of the huge carp in Japanese temple lakes, I would have thought that the kingfisher was in more danger of being eaten by a fish than the other way around!

The outer precinct of the shrine is a popular venue for Shinto weddings and one was in progress when I visited.

Photo Gallery: Meiji Shrine…

Yoyogi Park adjoins the Meiji Shrine grounds. On a Sunday it is a mecca for Japanese counter culture as represented by rock bands and by cosplay. At least it was in 2000; fashions change and now, some 20 years or more later things may well be different. What I was not expecting until I went there was the number of plastic covered makeshift shelters in use by homeless people.

Photo Gallery: Yoyogi Park, Rock Bands, and the Homeless…

Photo Gallery: Cosplay at Yoyogi Park…