Establishment of Meiji Jingu

Meiji Jingu is dedicated to the divine souls of Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) and his consort Empress Shoken (1850-1914). (Their tombs are in Kyoto.)
After they passed away, the people wished to commemorate their virtues and to venerate them forever, and decided to establish Meiji Jingu.
Thanks to the donation of 100,000 trees from all over Japan, and the voluntary works of the youth, this precinct was completed on the 1st of November, 1920.
This forest is a manmade forest, being aimed to be a self-regenerating natural forest, which was so planned by the forestry experts foreseeing 100 years ahead.

However, most of the shrine complex was burnt down because of the air raids during World War II in 1945. Fortunately, the forest survived. Here again, people’s sincerity of heart helped to revive this shrine almost to its original grandeur, in 1958.

The year of 2020 marks its centennial anniversary of its establishment.