Updated in September 2026, this Meiji Jingu guide covers opening hours, entry, parking, transport, accessibility and what to see.
Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine set within a 70-hectare forest in the middle of Tokyo, Japan, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Opening hours and admission details were checked on the official website in September 2026, when this guide was last updated.
Visitors with limited time may prefer to visit as part of a Tokyo city tour. There are several tour options to choose from which stop at the shrine.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily, sunrise to sunset; September 5:20am–5:20pm (varies monthly) |
| Ticket prices | Shrine grounds free; Inner Garden ¥500; Meiji Jingu Museum ¥1,000 adult / ¥900 students |
| Address | 1-1 Yoyogi Kamizono-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8557 |
| Nearest transport/parking | Harajuku or Meiji-jingumae Station (south entrance); Yoyogi Station (north entrance) |
| Typical time needed | 1–1.5 hours (shrine); 2 hours or more with the Garden and Museum |
Meiji Jingu opening hours
The shrine opens at sunrise and closes at sunset every day of the year, with exact times changing monthly: from as early as 5:00am in June and July to as late as 6:40am in December and January, and closing between 4:00pm in December and 6:30pm in June.
Some individual facilities within the grounds, including the Meiji Jingu Museum and Inner Garden, keep shorter hours, generally around 9am to 4pm.
Meiji Jingu ticket prices
Entry to the shrine grounds and Main Sanctuary is free, with no admission charge at any time of year.
The Inner Garden asks for a ¥500 maintenance contribution, and the Meiji Jingu Museum charges ¥1,000 for adults and ¥900 for high school students or younger; the museum is also included with THE TOKYO PASS.
Opening hours and admission details were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026. Read more.
How to get to Meiji Jingu
Meiji Jingu straddles central Shibuya, with entrances near several train stations.
The south entrance is a short walk from Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote Line) and Meiji-jingumae “Harajuku” Station (Tokyo Metro), while the north entrance is close to Yoyogi Station (JR and Toei Oedo Line). Walking from any of these stations to the shrine entrance takes just a few minutes, though reaching the Main Sanctuary itself takes at least a further 10 minutes on foot.
Parking at Meiji Jingu
Motorcycles and bicycles are not allowed inside the shrine grounds and must be left in the parking area at the entrance.
The official website does not detail car parking arrangements in depth; given Meiji Jingu’s central Tokyo location, most visitors arrive by train rather than by car.
How long to spend at Meiji Jingu
Most visitors spend 1 to 1.5 hours walking the main approach to the shrine and back.
Adding the Inner Garden and the Meiji Jingu Museum extends a visit to 2 hours or more, particularly during seasonal highlights like the iris season in June.
Accessibility at Meiji Jingu
Wheelchairs are available at the entrance of the shrine grounds for visitors who need them.
The gravel main approach is broadly level, though some areas, including parts of the Inner Garden, have narrower or less even paths.
Inside Meiji Jingu
The shrine’s surrounding forest, though it looks entirely natural, was hand-planted in 1920 by around 110,000 volunteers from across Japan, using 234 tree varieties chosen for how they would appear after 100 to 200 years. It has been left undisturbed ever since, making it one of central Tokyo’s largest green spaces.
Visitors pass beneath towering wooden torii gates, marking the boundary between the secular and sacred, and along the South Approach, lined with rows of sake barrels donated by brewers nationwide.
At the Main Sanctuary, visitors can perform a simple purification ritual at the font before approaching to pray, and many write wishes on wooden ema tablets or hang around the shrine’s ornamental Divine Trees, said to represent marital harmony.
The Inner Garden, once imperial property associated with Empress Shoken, holds the South Pond, the pavilion Kaku-un-tei, and Kiyomasa’s Well, alongside seasonal irises in June and Japanese maples in autumn.
The Meiji Jingu Museum, designed by architect Kengo Kuma and opened in 2019, displays belongings of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken across 3,200 square metres of timber-framed exhibition space.
Practical visitor tips
| Focus | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit early morning, both for quieter grounds and to align with the shrine’s sunrise opening. |
| Crowds | New Year (Hatsumode) brings by far the largest crowds of the year, along with weekend weddings. |
| Layout | Allow at least 10 minutes’ walk from any entrance to reach the Main Sanctuary itself. |
| Entry process | There is no ticket or gate for the main shrine grounds; only the Garden and Museum charge separately. |
| On-site logistics | Follow standard shrine etiquette: a small bow at the torii gate, and quiet, respectful behaviour throughout. |
Frequently asked questions about Meiji Jingu
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Meiji Jingu suitable for children? | Yes. The forest paths and open shrine grounds are easy for families to explore together. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No. The shrine grounds are free and need no booking; the Museum and Garden are pay-on-entry. |
| Is Meiji Jingu open every day? | Yes, every day of the year, with hours that shift monthly around sunrise and sunset. |
| Is the Meiji Jingu Museum open every day? | No. It is closed on Thursdays, open 10am–4:30pm on other days. |
| Is Meiji Jingu wheelchair accessible? | Largely yes. Wheelchairs are available at the entrance, and the main approach is broadly level. |
Things to do near Meiji Jingu
- Takeshita Street, Harajuku — a busy youth-fashion shopping street, right by the shrine’s south entrance.
- Omotesando — a tree-lined avenue of upscale boutiques, about a 10-minute walk away.
- Yoyogi Park — one of Tokyo’s largest parks, sharing a boundary with the shrine.
- Meiji Jingu Gaien — the shrine’s separate outer garden, known for its ginkgo tree avenue, about 15–20 minutes away.
- Shibuya Crossing — the world-famous pedestrian scramble, about a 15–20 minute walk or short train ride away.
Alternative attractions
- Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa — about 40 minutes away, Tokyo’s oldest and most visited Buddhist temple.
- Yasukuni Shrine — about 30 minutes away, a Shinto shrine known for its cherry blossoms and museum.
- Zojo-ji Temple — about 40 minutes away, a historic temple framed by views of Tokyo Tower.
- Hie Shrine — about 20 minutes away, known for its tunnel of red torii gates.
- Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kamakura — about 1 hour away, the principal shrine of the historic city of Kamakura.
More Japan travel
Other Japan travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- What you need to know before visiting the Hiroshima Orizuru Tower.
- A practical guide to the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka.
- Discover a snack food legend at the Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum.
- Kyoto Railway Museum visitor guide – with opening hours, ticket prices and tips.
- Discover the joys of Katsurahama Beach in Kochi, Japan.
