Meiji Jingu and Shibuya

The aroma from this arrangement filled the lobby of our hotel

Nice looking mangoes going for about $5.25 each at a nearby store

A small shrine just down the street from our hotel

We have a view of a roof-top garden from our room

We decided to visit Meiji Shrine on Sunday so we walked to our local subway station where we caught the train to the next station, transferred to a different line then transferred one more time before arriving at the station in front of Meiji Shrine (Meijijingu-Mae).

As shrines in Japan go Meiji Shrine is a youngster. Construction was begun about one hundred years ago after the death of  Emperor Meiji and was completed ten years or so later. Despite its youth Meiji Shrine is important because the Emperor Meiji was Emperor during the Meiji Restoration when Japan emerged from its self-imposed isolation and became a modern nation.

The grounds cover 170 forested acres in the heart of Tokyo and can serve as a refuge from the crowded city. As we entered from the heat and crowds of the city we were surrounded by cool breezes and the fresh air of the forest.

The main torii of Meiji Shrine

Visitors write prayers on small pieces of cedar and hang them on the pegs.

Part of the main grounds of the Shrine

Entrance to the main building

After visiting Meiji Jingu we headed back to the subway and rode one stop to the heart of Shibuya, one of several major shopping areas in Tokyo. 

A main intersection in Shibuya. When the walk light flashes hundreds of people flood the street.