Meiji Shrine — Urban Forest Sanctuary

Meiji Shrine (明治神宮, Meiji Jingu) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, set within 175 acres of forested sanctuary in central Tokyo. The shrine was completed in 1920, destroyed in WWII, and rebuilt in 1958. The approach to the shrine is a 10-minute walk through towering trees (70,000 trees from across Japan, all donated and planted during the shrine's original construction), creating a transition from urban Tokyo to sacred forest space.

The shrine's main hall (honden) is built in traditional nagare-zukuri style with cypress wood and copper roofing. The massive torii gate at the entrance — made from 1,500-year-old cypress trees — is one of Japan's largest. Meiji Shrine is Tokyo's premier spot for traditional Shinto weddings (20-30 ceremonies on weekends), and visitors often witness bridal processions in white shiromuku kimono.