Meiji Jingu (Meiji Shrine) is meiji Temple in Tokyo, one of the largest Shinto shrines in the country. The temple is located in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, which covers an area of \u200b\u200b700,000 square meters. This area is covered with evergreen forests, which consist of 120,000 365 trees of various types donated by people from all over Japan. Meiji Jingu is the most visited sacred monument in the world. Up to 30 million tourists visit this iconic place annually. The construction of the shrine began in 1915, and a temple was built in honor of Emperor Meiji, who died in 1912, and his wife, Empress Shoken, who died in 1914. After their death, a movement arose to create a sanctuary. The building was completed in 1920, but officially Meiji Jingu opened in 1926, and during the Great East Asian War, as the Japanese call World War II, the sanctuary was destroyed by the Americans. The renovation of the existing building, which was supported by many Japanese in Japan and abroad, was completed in 1958. After visiting this temple, every tourist realizes that only a majestic ruler was able to turn Japan into a modern state.
General view of the temple and park
The road to the temple itself through the territory of Tokyo Yoyogi Park takes about 15 minutes from the central entrance to the park. It is paved with gravel and surrounded by very tall trees. It is difficult for the sun's rays to break through the tops of pines and ginkgo trees, the poem is always dusk and the impression of abandonment. The park is twilight even on hot June days, when the temperature reaches 35 degrees, which makes tourists feel chilly and insecure surrounded by huge trees a century ago. This park is covered with flowers or falling leaves all year round, which resembles an eternal autumn. The tree-lined shrine is a typical example of the unique Japanese temple architecture in the traditional nagare-zukuri style. The construction used cypress from Kiso. The garden features all the varieties of trees and shrubs that grow in Japan.
Meiji Jingu is not just a temple associated with the imperial family, it is a huge temple complex. In addition to the sanctuary itself, there is also a treasury and a palace of ceremonies. The building of the treasury museum is located in the northern part of the temple area. It was built of stone in the azekura-zukuri architectural style. Various items from the reign of the imperial couple are presented here. The paths on the approaches to the temple in autumn are decorated with decorative tents with planted chrysanthemums, because this flower is a symbol of the imperial power of Japan.
The Meiji Jingu Outer Garden, located approximately 0.7 miles (1.13 km) from the Inner Garden, is world renowned as the center of Japanese sports. Its creation was completed in 1926. The Outer Garden is 77 acres (31.16 ha). At the end of the ginkgo tree lane is the Meiji Memorial Art Gallery, which contains 80 large murals depicting events in the life of the emperor and his wife. In the corner of the Outer Garden is the Meiji Memorial (Wedding) Hall, where one of the most important religious activities, the Shinto wedding ceremony, continues. Previously, this building was used mainly for conferences and meetings, and was used to discuss the draft Meiji Constitution.
Meiji Jingu is one of the few temples in Tokyo where you can get omikuji. Having thrown a 100 yen coin, you need to pull out the pieces of fortune in English from a wooden box. Moreover, these predictions are given in a form that is unconventional for this genre. Visitors draw out verses composed by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken as divination instructions. The royal couple became famous for writing poetry in the waka style. Having drawn out a white scroll, the visitor receives the poems of the empress, and on the light green scroll - the works of the emperor. The verses must be accompanied by an interpretation composed by Shinto priests.
Sakura blossoms on bare branches
People admire
Flowers, hidden from view, fall in vain.
The Hitler Youth delegation visits meiji Temple in Tokyo in September 1938 year
In the afternoon, wedding ceremonies are held in the temple almost daily. Meiji Jingu is one of the most popular and prestigious wedding temples in the country. The wedding ritual itself, during which the bride and groom take turns sip three sips of sake, after which the marriage, in fact, is considered concluded, is performed away from prying eyes. But then the wedding procession goes out to people. Slowly crossing the courtyard of the temple, led by a kannushi priest, the column poses for admiring spectators, but the faces of the participants are full of dignity and awareness of the importance of the moment. Here you can also see miko - servants of Shinto temples. Dressed in uniforms resembling a police uniform, the temple guards freeze as the procession approaches and put their hand to the visor of their cap.
In November, the temple is filled with kids in national clothes, parents bring to the temple for blessing children who have reached three, five and seven years, respectively. The holiday is called Siti-go-san ("seven-five-three"), it can be considered a kind of birthday for all children who have reached this age in a given year. The tradition of this holiday has more than three hundred years, it is celebrated on November 15. These ages reflected the stages of growing up of children. In the Middle Ages, in aristocratic families, boys at the age of three were first put on hakama, this is a traditional men's clothing in the form of wide trousers with folds. Later, this ceremony began to be carried out at the age of five, it was at this age that the samurai introduced children to their feudal lords, introducing them into the circle of adults. For girls, the age of seven is important, since on this day they first wear a hard kimono belt - obi. This ceremony, called obi-toki (belt change), symbolizes growing up, since for the first time in her life a girl dresses like an adult woman.
Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu) - the tomb of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken, the largest Shinto shrine, which appeared in 1920 on a public initiative. It is located in the Shibuya area, in the Yoyogi City Park.
During the reign of Meiji, who became emperor in 1868, Japan, after the feudal rule of the Tokugawa, abandoned self-isolation and became a more open state to the outside world. The name "Meiji", which was taken by Emperor Mutsuhito upon accession to the throne, means "enlightened rule." In his "Oath Promise" Mutsuhito declared the principles of his government: democracy (taking public opinion into account when deciding public affairs), the predominance of national interests, freedom of activity and independence of the court, as well as the effective use of knowledge to strengthen Japan's role in the world. After the death of the emperor and his wife in 1912 and 1914, as a sign of respect for the imperial couple, a public movement arose in the country for the creation of a temple, and the necessary donations were collected. During World War II, the temple burned down, and its reconstruction was also supported by many Japanese in the country and abroad. The temple was rebuilt in 1958.
The building of the sanctuary is a typical example of the unique temple architecture of Japan, during its construction was used the cypress growing in Kiso - a mountain range in the central part of the island of Honshu, the so-called Japanese Alps. The building is surrounded by a garden in which all the trees and shrubs that are found in the Land of the Rising Sun grow. Plants for him were also donated by many Japanese people. In the northern part of the temple complex, there is a treasury museum, which contains things and objects from the Meiji reign.
The Outer Garden of Meiji Jingu Shrine is also home to sporting events. Here is the Memorial Picture Gallery, which contains 80 frescoes depicting events in the life of the imperial couple. The Outer Garden also houses the Meiji Memorial (Wedding) Hall, where Shinto wedding ceremonies continue.
Visitors to the Meiji Shrine can receive an omikuji, a fortune-telling paper in English. The text of the prophecy is a poem composed by the emperor himself or his wife, which is accompanied by the talk of a Shinto priest.
Meji Jingu is the most significant, largest and most popular Shinto shrine in Tokyo. The Japanese come here to seek the blessings of the gods in various life endeavors, be it a wedding, the birth of a child, business projects, or just passing an important exam at school or university.
The souls of Emperor Meiji, who bore the name of Mutsuhito during his lifetime, and his wife, Empress Shoken, live in this sanctuary.
Emperor Mutsuhito ruled Japan from 1868-1912. History suggests that the country has never known such a powerful leap in development as during this period, when Japan from a feudal backward state turned into one of the leading world powers. Mutsuhito was the bastard son of Emperor Komei, and inherited the throne from his father at the age of 15. With his accession to the throne, a new era began, called Meiji - "enlightened rule".
They say that kings do not belong to themselves, for they belong to the whole country and history, and therefore, with all their apparent power, they often turn out to be deeply unhappy people, deprived of the right to act according to their convictions. Oddly enough, but one of the most revered emperors in Japan, declared an absolute monarch; "Great reformer"; the first ruler who warmly accepted Western civilization and radically changed the face of the country, as a person, he was deeply alien to all the changes that were happening on his behalf.
As the supreme ruler, he was present at all meetings, but never took part in discussions, he was almost always silent and only signed decrees that were written on behalf of the emperor. Anyone who has watched the film "The Last Samurai" probably remembers the modest, silent young man - the emperor of Japan under the Meiji reign.
The largest wooden torii in the country lead to the sanctuary. Barrels of sake are an offering to the temple.
He was a notorious conservative and deeply respected the traditions that had developed at court over many centuries, but it is his signature that bears on documents that break the centuries-old foundations of Japanese society.
Not wanting to deviate from the path of his predecessors, even in small things, he nevertheless had to wear alien and uncomfortable clothes - all these frock coats and uniforms, sewn according to the Western pattern. For the nation, he remained a living deity, which is forbidden to be touched by mere mortals, so all the suits were baggy on him: the tailor could take measurements only at a distance, and sewed trousers and jackets "by eye".
Just like his divine ancestors, in addition to his legal wife, he had a harem of concubines, but at social events he was forced to appear with his wife and portray a happy married couple of the Western model. Once he was even forced to walk in public with her arm, which was completely unacceptable according to old Japanese etiquette. It was for the silver wedding anniversary. They say that Mutsuhito was forced to give in, but after walking a few steps, he could not stand such shame and ran away from shame.
South Gate is opposite the main pavilion
In essence, a peaceful man, but it was under Mutsuhito that Japan fought with Korea, China, and then with Russia.
We cannot know how consciously Matsuhito played his part in turning the ship of Japanese history on a new course. It is known that Mutsuhito drank a lot, and not only traditional Japanese sake, but also Western wines that came to his taste. On the path leading to the Meiji Temple, barrels of red Burgundy wines are installed: this is how the Western world expressed its gratitude to the first "pro-Western" emperor of Japan, whose spirit dwells in the temple.
It is also known that the emperor expressed his timid protest against the innovations of civilization by banning electricity in his palace: until his death, the palace was lit only with candles. They say the "great reformer" was so far from civilization that at first he took a chamber pot for something that is placed under the head at night.
Be that as it may, Emperor Mutsuhito will forever remain in the memory of the grateful Japanese. Eight years after his death, a new shrine was built in 1920, called Meiji Jingu. The temple structure was destroyed during the bombing of World War II: the Americans regarded Emperor Meiji as a symbol of militaristic Japan, and purposefully dropped bombs on this sanctuary. The restoration of the temple and the surrounding park was completed in October 1958. People from all over Japan brought trees and bushes here. As a result, 365 species of plants have been collected on the territory of more than 700,000 square meters.
Temple Sanctuary Courtyard
On the guide, which can be freely taken when visiting the temple, we are taught to correctly express our respect for the royal spirits:
1. First of all, if you are serious about receiving divine support, your appearance and dress must match. The Japanese follow this point only on especially solemn occasions, crowds of local residents wander here with a noisy, cheerful din. Most of them are wearing jeans or even shorts. Cheerful young people in disguise often drop in here during the Sunday fancy-dress parties taking place nearby.
2. Before setting foot in the interior, you need to rinse your hands and mouth in the sacred fountain. This custom is typical for all Japanese temples: the ritual of purification is the main action in Shintoism.
3. You go to the main building and, if you wish, you can give the gods several coins by throwing them into a special box. They say that you should throw coins from afar so that they ring, and the deities wake up from the sacred slumber, drawing attention to you.
Sacred dances during the annual festival
Everything, consider your mission accomplished: the gods heard you. It's hard to think of an easier way to pray. So that the perfume does not forget your request, you can address them in writing using a special wooden "Ema" plaque. Such signs are hung here on boards set around a chic tree. At the end of the year, these “petitions” will be burned on the sacred fire, and all requests will go to heaven to the gods along with the smoke.
People are also happy to buy amulets that give protection and favor in various situations: you can buy an amulet against the evil eye, for family well-being, for a safe completion of childbirth, for successful studies, safe driving ... in general, there would be a problem, but there would be an amulet ...
One of the most popular types of fortune telling on the territory of the temple is fortune telling by the waka verses left to us by the emperor and his wife. Matsuhito created about 100 thousand creations in his life, the Empress - 30 thousand. They are all written as an edification to the living.
Here are some of them:
Moon
Profound changes
occur
Because there are so many
people
Left this world
Only the moon in autumn
night
It always remains the same
Random thought
Understand life
Seeing like a stone
Is washed away by the rain
Don't cling to the illusion
That nothing changes
Random thought
I don't need
Rage to heaven
Or blame
Others (for my suffering)
When I see
Your own mistakes
Random thought
So many accusations
In this world
So don't worry
About it
Too much
Your guide in Japan,
Irina
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- Address: 1-1, Kamizono-chō Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku Tokyo 151-0053
- Telephone: +81 3379-5511
- Official site: www.meijijingu.or.jp
- Foundation date: 1920 g.
- Sanctuary area: 708200 sq. m
- Working hours: 06: 20-16: 00 (November-February), 05: 00-18: 00 (March-October)
- Entrance cost: is free
Every cultural branch bears an imprint on itself. Japanese temples are no exception; they are designed to preserve the country's religious traditions. In addition, temples are objects of sacred architecture, which the Japanese treat with special awe. The largest and most popular sacred site is the Meiji Jingu Shrine. The townspeople turn here for the blessing of the gods in various life endeavors.
The history of the origin of the shrine
The Meiji Jingu Shrine, located in the Shibuya area, in the Eegi City Park, is a kind of tomb for Emperor Mutsuhito and his wife, Empress Shoken. Upon accession to the throne, Mutsuhito took his middle name Meiji, which means "enlightened reign". During the reign of the monarch, Japan retreated from self-isolation and became a country open to the outside world.
After the death of the imperial couple, a public movement arose in Japan to create a temple. In 1920, the shrine was built, and during the Second World War, the temple was destroyed. In 1958, with the help of many Japanese, the Meiji Temple was completely rebuilt. Currently, it enjoys immense popularity among believers and is considered a religious symbol of Tokyo.
Architectural features of the building
The territory of the sanctuary, consisting of religious buildings, gardens and forests, covers an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 700 thousand square meters. The building itself is a typical example of Japanese temple architecture. The main hall, in which prayers for the imperial couple are read, is built in the Nagarezukuri style of cypress wood. The treasury museum is made of stone in the Azekurazukuri style. There are items from the reign of Mutsuhito here.
The Meiji Temple building is surrounded by an amazing garden with many varieties of shrubs and trees. Almost every tree was planted by the local Japanese as a sign of respect to the emperor. The outside garden is used as a venue for sporting events. It also houses the Meiji Memorial Hall, which houses more than 80 frescoes dedicated to the life of the emperor.
How to get to Meiji Temple?
Anyone can visit this unique attraction. The most convenient way to enter the shrine is to take the JR Yamanote Subway Line and get off at Harajuku Station. You can use the ground. The closest stop in this case will be Ngubashi Station.
Meiji Temple, or, as it is also called, Meiji Jingu, is the tomb of the great Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. This is the largest Shinto shrine, which appeared in 1920, thanks to a public initiative. The Japanese were so grateful to their emperor that they decided to perpetuate his memory by creating the largest Shinto shrine, which is conveniently located in the very depths of the Yoyogi city park. The sanctuary was built in the classic Japanese style. This is a kind of peak of the architectural creation of ordinary people.
To see the majestic park, drive to Kamizono-cho Yoyogi. This place is easy to find, as the sanctuary occupies a fairly large area, which is surrounded by lush vegetation. On the territory of the park, which is laid out directly around the Japanese temple, almost all trees that are found on the territory of the state grow, ranging from incgo and ending with cypresses and sakura.
Features of the Japanese temple
The shrine is an example of the traditional Japanese Nagarezukuri style. For the construction of the temple, cypress was used in large quantities, growing in the territory of Kiso - a mountain range that is located in the central part of the island of Honshu. Kiso is also called the Japanese Alps. The Meiji building itself is surrounded by a picturesque garden, on the territory of which an incredible number of unique plants grow, found in various forests and parks of the Land of the Rising Sun.
It is worth noting one interesting feature - in the park, located around the tomb of the emperor, various sports competitions are very often held. There is also the Memorial Picture Gallery, which consists of 80 frescoes depicting memorable events and significant dates of the imperial couple.
The Outer Garden, which houses the Meiji Memorial (Wedding) Hall, is a revered place, as it is here, even now, that wedding celebrations are held in the best traditions of the Shinto religion.
Numerous tourists visiting a temple in Japan can receive "omikuji" - a small piece of fortune-telling paper in English. What is this prophecy? As a rule, these are several lines in poetic form, written by the emperor or his wife. By contacting a Shinto priest, each visitor to the Japanese shrine can receive an interpretation of his prediction.
How to behave in the Japanese Meiji Temple?
On the guide, which can be taken by every visitor to a Japanese temple, you can read very important information that teaches the rules of conduct in a Shinto shrine:
- First of all, this applies to those who wish to receive divine support - clothing and appearance must correspond to the current situation. Often on the territory of the temple, discharged youth and crowds of tourists in ordinary shorts or jeans walk around. If the purpose of a visit to the temple is to receive support from the supreme forces, you should consider your appearance more thoughtfully.
- Before entering the inner territory of the imperial tomb, you should rinse your mouth and hands in the sacred fountain. This is the oldest custom in the Shinto religion - the purification rite is one of the most important and revered.
- Approaching the main building, each tourist or ordinary visitor can give the gods several coins by throwing them into a special box located near the entrance. It is advisable to throw coins from afar so that they can ring and be able to awaken the supreme forces so that they turn their attention to the person who donates their money.
- After that, it is advisable to bow twice towards the main altar and clap your hands twice (this is just in case the gods decide to take a nap again) and bow again.
That's all. After this, the supreme forces will certainly turn their attention to the one asking. And for greater persuasiveness and confidence that a trip to the temple will bring fulfillment of desires, you can turn to the gods in writing, leaving your request on a wooden plate "ema". Such tablets are hung around a majestic tree, and at the end of the year they are burned on a sacred fire. Thus, all desires along with the smoke go up.
Foreign tourists and residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are happy to buy up amulets and talismans that are sold in the adjacent park. Here you can buy a family amulet, protection against damage and the evil eye, an amulet for successful studies or driving a car ... In a word, there would be a problem, and protection from it will certainly find its owner. Waka fortune-telling is very popular on the territory of the imperial tomb. Throughout his life, the emperor, together with his wife, created many creations that were written as an edification to future generations.