Yasukuni Shrine

The Shrine was established in 1869 by the will of the Emperor Meiji. Over 2,466,000 people who died in the wars between the Meiji restoration and the Greater East Asian War (the Pacific War) are enshrined. Yasukuni means to make the homeland a peaceful place or to build a peaceful nation and it is reflecting the Emperor Meiji's wishes. Various rituals and festive events such as Noh play, sumo tournaments in Shunki Reitaisai (Annual Spring Festival), portable shrines and Nebuta festival float parades in Mitama Matsuri in July are held through the year and more than 5 million people visit the Shrine every year. The largest torii gate in the precinct is 25 meters high, Daiichi-Torii (First Shrine Gate). The wills written by the people enshrined are displayed on the shrine display board in front of the Haiden (main shrine) where an offertory box is placed and they are changed every month for visitors to read. Also, in Yushukan (a museum to honor the people who died in the wars) are displays about 3,000 items such as the wills and belongings of people that died in the war as well as a Zero fighter plane and Japanese armors and weapons. You should visit this place when you pay a visit to the main shrine. (Duration of the shrine visit is an hour to 3 hours). A five-minute walk from Exit 1 of Kudanshita Station on the Subway Tozai, Hanzomon and Toei Shinjuku lines.