Meiji Jingu and Takeshita Dori
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One of the things I love about Tokyo is the city’s ability to go from calm to overstimulating in minutes. We spent an afternoon in Tokyo doing both.
How To Visit Meiji Jingu and Takeshita Dori: (Jump To)
Visit Meiji Jingu
Visiting the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo is a once-in-a-lifetime Tokyo experience. You can walk to Meiji Jingu from the closest subway station.
From the Kita-sando Station, we walked about five minutes to the rustic wooden torii gate that marks the northern entrance to Meiji Jingu. As you pass through the shrine gate you enter a forest filled with trees that were donated by people across Japan over 100 years ago when the Shine was being established. It is traditional to never walk through the direct center of the gate; always a little to the left or a little to the right.
The tree canopy covers you in shade as you take a calm walk up a slight incline on a wide gravel path with stone-paved sidewalks. Eventually, you’ll come to the entrance of the shrine on your right.
The shrine was completed in 1921 and was dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The original structure was built with Japanese Cypress wood using donated labor and funds. The buildings were rebuilt in 1958 after being destroyed during World War II.
Inside the main complex visitors are invited to take part in Shinto customs at the shrine. This includes washing your hands and mouth at the cleansing station upon entrance.
Visitors are welcome to create Ema. These are blank wooden cards that can be used to write your prayers or wishes. Once completed the cards are hung and left at the shrine where it is believed the gods will receive them.
For a small fee, you can purchase your fortune, printed on a small piece of paper. They will help you translate your fortune into English. Depending on your fortune you should either take the paper with you or in the case of a bad fortune tie it to a string and leave it behind.
You, of course, can also choose to just observe and enjoy the serenity of the site. This is a very popular tourist stop, so there will be no pressure to participate and no shame in making a mistake. As long as you remember that it is a sacred place and treat the visit with reverence, you will be fine.
Visit Takeshita Dori
A short walk from the Meniji Shrine to Takeshita Dori opens you up to a whole new Tokyo experience. There are so many unique things to do on Takeshita Street in Tokyo.
From the shrine, we walked back down the hill. On the way down you will pass a display of decorated empty sake barrels that were left as offerings. We exited the southern torii gate. From there we crossed the bridge and followed the road to the gated entrance to Takeshita Dori.
This is a different kind of gate marking the entrance to a shopping street known for Japan’s Kawaii culture. Kawaii loosely translates as “cute.” You’re probably familiar with many of the biggest characters in Kawaii like Hello Kitty and Pokémon. On Takeshita Street, it is not uncommon to see young and old dressed as their favorite character interacting with others.
The street is lined with shops and restaurants that are filled with the latest can hippest teenage trends. This is shopping like nowhere else but Japan. There are also food stands that integrate Kawaii style into their food.
At the end of the street. We decided to stop for ice cream in the Kawaii Monster Cafe. This place was crazy! It is a huge space filled with trippy oversized animals, food items, and set pieces. In some areas, the lights are flashing, and some spots are lit with glowing blacklight. In the center, a carousel spins with anime-style bunnies being ridden by young women in costume.
You can choose your experience by room. There’s The Mushroom Disco, The Milk Stand, the Bar Experiment, and the Mel-Tea Room. Each has its own kawaii strangeness including glowing jellyfish, giant macaroons, and huge colorful mushrooms. This was a crazy unique experience. Sadly the Kawaii Monster Cafe closed its doors in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back outside be sure to also explore the side streets off of Takeshita Dori. They are filled with one-of-a-kind experiences. As you get further away worldwide brands like Sketchers and The Body Shop begin to appear.
Combining a visit to a sacred shine and a kawaii-obsessed shopping district was a perfect way to explore both ends of Japanese culture. From there we got back into the subway to get dinner and spend the evening in Shibuya.
If you need some culinary inspiration, check out Five things you have to taste while in Tokyo.
