Meiji Jingu: Plan Your Visit

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

Meiji Jingu is a shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, established in 1920 and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Its shrine grounds, Inner Garden and museum have different schedules and entry details, so plan each as a separate part of your visit. The official information cited here was checked on November 4, 2026; confirm the current notices before travelling, as hours and closures can change. (About Meiji Jingu; shrine hours and worship information; Inner Garden; museum)

On this page

1. Compare the shrine, garden and museum
2. Check the schedules and prices
3. Choose an entrance and plan the walk
4. Understand the forest and its rules
5. Plan a visit to the Inner Garden
6. Plan a visit to the museum
7. Worship, shrine seals and facilities
8. Frequently asked questions
9. Videos about Meiji Jingu
10. Related guides

Compare the shrine, garden and museum

Start by deciding which areas you want to visit. The shrine grounds, Inner Garden and museum have separate hours, and the garden and museum have separate charges; the shrine’s gate schedule does not tell you when every other area is open. Check each official page for your date, especially if you are planning around a particular closing time.

The figures in the table are not interchangeable: the shrine’s gate hours, the garden’s opening hours and the museum’s admission deadline each apply to a different area. For example, a gate that remains open in the evening does not mean that the garden or museum is still admitting visitors. Check the monthly shrine schedule, garden information and museum information separately before setting your timetable.

The garden and museum charges are additional to one another. For two general museum visitors who also enter the garden, the published charges total ¥3,000: two museum admissions at ¥1,000 each and two garden contributions at ¥500 each. That calculation covers only those stated charges, so check the relevant admission category and any other costs separately.

Check the schedules and prices

The shrine changes its opening and closing times by month. The official schedule lists 06:10–16:10 in November and 06:40–16:00 in December, while summer examples include 05:00–18:30 in June and 05:00–18:20 in July. These are examples for the named months, not a substitute for checking the schedule for your own date. (Official monthly shrine schedule)

The Inner Garden also has seasonal hours, with a separate schedule for June. Its usual hours are 09:00–16:30 from March through October and 09:00–16:00 from November through February; in June it is open 08:00–17:00, extending to 18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. The garden is listed as open year-round, but its opening hours are not the same as the shrine’s gate hours. Confirm the current Inner Garden schedule and contribution before going.

The museum normally opens from 10:00 to 16:30, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. It normally closes on Thursdays, opens when Thursday is a public holiday, and also closes during exhibition changes. Check the museum’s current notices for both the day’s schedule and any exhibition-related closure before travelling.

Choose an entrance and plan the walk

The shrine’s address is 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. The official access information estimates about ten minutes on foot from each entrance to the main sanctuary, so allow time for the approach as well as for visiting the buildings. Use the official access page to choose an entrance and review current approach information.

The shrine identifies the Harajuku, Yoyogi and Sangubashi entrances in its access information. The entrance you choose affects your approach through the grounds, but the official estimate to the main sanctuary is about ten minutes from each entrance. Check the shrine’s grounds map alongside the access page so you can orient yourself once you arrive.

If your plan includes the museum, its own access details provide a useful separate landmark: it is listed as a five-minute walk from the West Exit at the Omotesando gate of JR Harajuku Station, and five minutes from Exit 2 of Meiji-jingumae (Harajuku) Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines. These directions are specifically for the museum and should not be treated as a complete route to every area of the shrine. Check the museum page if you are visiting it, and the shrine access page for the shrine entrances.

The shrine recommends public transport because parking congestion can prevent vehicles from entering. Vehicles enter through the Yoyogi entrance; the Harajuku and Sangubashi entrances do not accept vehicles. Bicycle and motorcycle parking is listed at the approach entrances, but check the current access information rather than assuming that all vehicle types use the same arrangements.

Understand the forest and its rules

The wooded setting is part of the shrine’s history, not simply an area of unmanaged woodland. Meiji Jingu describes its forest as an approximately 700,000-square-metre planted landscape created when the shrine was established in 1920. Around 100,000 trees were donated from across Japan and planted for the project. (About Meiji Jingu)

The forest and the Inner Garden are distinct areas. The forest refers to the wider landscape around the shrine, while the garden has its own entrance, hours and ¥500 maintenance contribution. If your reason for visiting is to see Kiyomasa’s Well or the iris garden, plan for the Inner Garden rather than assuming that those sights are part of the general walk through the grounds.

The shrine’s map states that entering the forest itself is prohibited and that visitors must not collect or bring plants and animals into it. Keep to designated routes and follow signs on site. These rules protect the landscape and apply even when a path or wooded area looks accessible. See the official grounds map and guidance before setting out.

Plan a visit to the Inner Garden

The Inner Garden is south of the shrine buildings and is listed as open year-round. Its ¥500 maintenance contribution is separate from any museum admission, and its own seasonal hours determine when you can enter. Check the official garden page for the hours that apply to your travel date.

The garden includes Kiyomasa’s Well, which is identified as the source of the South Pond. It also has an iris garden with approximately 150 varieties and 1,500 plants. The official information does not give a specific flowering forecast for 2027, so do not rely on an assumed bloom date if seeing the flowers is central to your plans.

June has a different opening schedule from the garden’s usual seasonal hours: it opens 08:00–17:00 and stays open until 18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. The shrine gate’s June schedule is 05:00–18:30, but an early gate opening does not mean that the garden is already open. Check the garden’s own schedule and leave enough time to reach it before its applicable closing time.

Plan a visit to the museum

Meiji Jingu Museum has its own entrance information and admission charges, so treat it as a separate stop rather than assuming that shrine access includes museum entry. The listed admission is ¥1,000 for general visitors and ¥900 for high-school students and younger; children below elementary-school age enter free. Verify the applicable category and current details on the official museum page.

The normal museum schedule is 10:00–16:30, and the last admission is 30 minutes before closing. It is normally closed on Thursdays, except when Thursday is a public holiday, and it can also close during exhibition changes. Because the weekday schedule alone does not establish whether a specific date is suitable, check the museum’s current notices before travelling.

The museum is listed as a five-minute walk from JR Harajuku Station’s Omotesando gate, West Exit, and a five-minute walk from Exit 2 of Meiji-jingumae (Harajuku) Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines. These are the museum’s published walking directions, not timings for reaching the main shrine sanctuary. If you intend to combine both visits, use the museum’s access information and the shrine’s entrance map to plan the two parts separately.

Worship, shrine seals and facilities

Meiji Jingu identifies Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken as its enshrined deities, and the shrine was established in 1920. For worship, the shrine describes the customary sequence as two bows, two claps and one bow. Follow current signs and be considerate of other visitors using the worship space. (About the shrine and worship guidance; worship and gate hours)

For a shrine seal, the usual reception location is Nagadono in front of Kaguraden. The listed reception time is 09:00 until gate closing, but the location may change on some days. Check the current on-site guidance rather than walking directly to the usual counter without confirming where reception is operating.

The grounds also include several named areas that may help you orient yourself. The shrine lists a lawn north of the main shrine buildings, Mori no Terrace in front of the torii at the Harajuku entrance, and Forest Terrace on the right side of the south approach. Their current operating arrangements are not specified here, so check on site if you are counting on using one of them.

A practical route-planning checklist

First, open the shrine’s access page and decide which entrance suits your visit. Allow about ten minutes to walk from the entrance to the main sanctuary, using the official grounds map for orientation. If you are driving, read the vehicle guidance before setting out: vehicles enter through Yoyogi, not Harajuku or Sangubashi, and congestion can prevent entry.

Next, check the monthly gate schedule for your date. If you are visiting the Inner Garden, check its separate seasonal hours and ¥500 contribution. If you are visiting the museum, check its opening schedule, admission categories, last admission and closure notices.

Finally, decide where you need to leave time for walking and which spaces you intend to enter. The shrine, garden and museum have different schedules, and the museum’s station directions are specific to the museum rather than the whole grounds. Once inside, follow the map and signs, remain on permitted routes, and keep out of forest areas where entry is prohibited.

Frequently asked questions

Is Meiji Jingu open at the same times throughout the year?

No. The shrine’s gate schedule changes by month; for example, the listed closing time is 16:10 in November and 18:20 in July. Check the official schedule for the month and date of your visit rather than relying on a single year-round time.

Is the Inner Garden open whenever the shrine gates are open?

No. The Inner Garden has its own opening hours and a ¥500 maintenance contribution, so its schedule is separate from the shrine gates. For example, in June the garden opens 08:00–17:00 and extends to 18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, while the shrine’s June gate schedule is 05:00–18:30. Check the garden page before planning your visit.

Is the museum open on Thursdays?

It is normally closed on Thursdays, but it opens if Thursday is a public holiday. It also closes during exhibition changes, so the usual weekly pattern does not confirm that it will be open on a particular date. Check the museum’s current schedule before travelling.

How much are the garden and museum charges?

The Inner Garden lists a ¥500 maintenance contribution. The museum lists ¥1,000 general admission, ¥900 for high-school students and younger, and free admission for children below elementary-school age. These are separate charges; confirm current details and the applicable museum category on the garden and museum pages.

Can I drive to the shrine?

The shrine says vehicles enter through the Yoyogi entrance, while the Harajuku and Sangubashi entrances do not accept vehicles. It recommends public transport because parking congestion can prevent vehicle entry. Review the official access information before deciding how to travel.

Where can I request a shrine seal?

The usual reception location is Nagadono in front of Kaguraden, with listed hours from 09:00 until gate closing. The shrine notes that the reception location may change on some days, so check current guidance on site. The worship and gate-hours page provides the shrine’s published information.

Are visitors allowed to walk into the forest?

No. The official grounds map prohibits entering the forest itself and also prohibits collecting or bringing plants and animals into it. Stay on designated routes and follow signs while visiting the grounds. (Official grounds map and rules)

Do I need a reservation for general worship?

The official information referenced here does not specify whether a reservation is required for general worship, so this guide does not make a claim about reservation requirements. Check the shrine’s current worship guidance for your date. For visits involving the garden or museum, check those areas’ separate pages as well.

Videos about Meiji Jingu

The following videos are about individual visits to Meiji Jingu or nearby Yoyogi Park: VioletVik’s walking tour titled around Meiji Jingu Shrine; Itadakimasu Japan’s walk at Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Park; Bernice’s “Explore Meiji Jingu Shrine”; and Daphne Barcelona’s Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Park travel vlog. The Global Citizenship has a video about shrine prayer featuring Meiji Jingu, while Tokyo Vibes has a video titled around a snowy visit to the shrine. These videos can offer different views of a visit, but they do not replace the shrine’s current notices for hours, closures or rules.