Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine– October 2, 2007

On our first day of touring Tokyo, we went several places, including Harajuku. While we passed by Harajuku, we noticed that we were walking right past Yoyogi Park, but we decided to not go into the park, since we had already walked so much that day, and we were on a mission to go somewhere else (Shibuya). Today, we decided that we would finally go to Yoyogi Park to see the Meiji Shrine.

When we got there, around the corner from Harajuku station, the first thing that we saw was the large wooden gate surrounded by the leaves and branches of large trees. Walking through the gate, the long path we took was quiet and peaceful. We passed over a couple of small bridges that passed over small creeks, as well as a wall that was covered by lanterns before getting to the Meiji Shrine.

Before entering the gates of the shrine, there was chozuya where the more religious would rinse their hands or drink the purifying water. We then walked through the gates, and into the main square of the shrine. It was much smaller than the red Senso-ji temple. However, that is the reason that I liked it more. Walking through Yoyogi Park, it was like walking through all the trees, and finally coming to a beautiful spot, hidden deep in the woods. There weren’t as many people here, either, which kept the grounds quiet, and maintained a peaceful environment (though, certainly, there were enough people to realize that it was a tourist attraction). I felt like I could sit there all day, and relax, and let the vibe soak in.

Before we walked through the main gate of the shrine, Paola remarked that it would be great if she could see a wedding take place there, and take photos. As luck would have it, there was, in fact, a wedding taking place as we were there. It was conducted in a traditional Japanese style, which made it seem like we were seeing something special. The procession came out of a smaller building where I imagine some sort of private ceremony took place, and came right across the open square in the center of the grounds. It was lead by a Shinto priest and some of his assistants, who were then followed by the bride and groom, and their guests. The procession was led through the courtyard, then in towards the shrine, and then to a private space to the left. Paola got many photos of the whole event, but my camera battery died, so… Again, I was jealous.