We Out: Japan - Meiji Shrine/Shibuya

The GUNNERPHI crew made it to Japan. In the six-part miniseries “We Out: Japan”, we’ll be documenting our big trip overseas including video, music, and photos  from Clifford S. Coleman. We out!

Our first day in Japan brought us to the Meiji Shrine. It’s tucked right in Tokyo near the Yamanote Line’s Harajuku station. As one of the area’s main tourist attractions, this location made it clear how serious the Japanese are about preserving key pieces of their culture.

As we walked the extended stone path to reach the shrine, there were park employees right behind us raking, sweeping, and spreading the stray stones back into place. 

When we did reach the gates, we were greeted by a large flowing water fountain with wooden ladles to cleanse your hands. Past the entrance, visitors can write out personal prayers and messages on small tablets to be hung around the “divine tree” during a daily ceremony.

The large temple was filled with visitors, yet, low on noise. That was reserved for the streets of downtown Tokyo, the surprising location of this landmark. At times, being in the heart of Tokyo felt no different than being in the middle of Times Square. It was just as crowded, if not more so than its North American counterpart. We saw tourists from all nationalities taking in the famed cherry blossom season. The colorful flowers gave the city even more personality, a trait that it was already rich in.