- Meiji Jingu Shrine: Number one in Japan for the number of New Year's visitors. Its Sacred Charm
- We introduce Meiji Jingu Shrine, which boasts the largest number of visitors to Hatsumode in Japan every year.
Japan’s largest number of New Year’s pilgrims
Meiji jingu Shrine is the shrine with the largest number of New Year’s visitors in Japan every year.
Over 3 million people visit Meiji jingu Shrine every year during New Year’s visit, which lasts for three days starting on New Year’s Day. This is the highest number of worshipers among all shrines in Japan, and boasts the highest number of worshipers in Japan.
It is a 10-minute walk from the first torii gate to the main shrine, but when there are many lines on the approach, it can take him three hours to reach the main shrine.
He will introduce you to a winning method for visiting the shrine without waiting in line for 3 hours before visiting the shrine.
The best time to visit the shrine is in the morning! Best is 9:30
Many people come to worship every year, but it is not so crowded during the morning hours.
During the New Year period, the gates open at 6:40 a.m., so you can visit the shrine in the morning without waiting in line. The earlier you arrive, the more empty it will be.
If it is difficult to visit early in the morning, it is best to schedule your visit to arrive at Meiji jingu Shrine around 9:30.
If it is 9:30, there will be no queues on the approach, and you can get from the first torii gate to the main shrine in just 10 minutes.
Once you arrive at the main shrine, you will have to wait in line for a while, but you can enter the shrine after waiting for about 5 minutes.
If you want goshuin, amulets, talismans, or fortune, come earlier!
If you just want to visit the shrine, it’s best to arrive at Meiji jingu Shrine at 9:30 a.m., but if you want to buy amulets, talismans, or fortune slips, you’ll need to arrive earlier than that.
If you arrive at Meiji jingu Shrine at 9:30am, you should have no problem visiting the shrine. However, you will have to wait in long lines to purchase amulets and fortune telling fortunes.
This is the line to buy the Goshuin stamp.
If there is a line like the one in the photo, you will have to wait in line for 20 to 30 minutes to purchase amulets and stamps.
If you are visiting from January 1st to January 3rd, you can purchase amulets, talismans, and guardian arrows at any time when the gates are open. Therefore, the earlier you arrive in the morning, the more you can buy without having to wait in line.
Be careful when writing in the goshuin book you brought with you!
Goshuin stamps, like amulets, can be purchased at any time when the gates are open. However, you can only enter the stamp book you brought with you from 9:00 am.
If you wish to purchase a Goshuin stamp earlier than 9:00 a.m., simply purchase a piece of paper with the Goshuin stamp drawn on it in advance or a new Goshuin book. If you would like to have your own goshuin book filled in directly, please purchase it after 9:00am. Goshuin stamps can be purchased at the Meiji Jingu Kaikan.
If you would like to purchase amulets, amulets, stamps, or Omikuji, you can minimize the time you spend lining up by arriving at Meiji jingu Shrine no later than 8:00 a.m. and purchasing the amulets and stamps after visiting the shrine.
Year-end and New Year limited food festival! A must-visit “Fureai Hiroba”
At Forest Terrace Meiji jingu Shrine, located within the grounds of Meiji jingu Shrine, a “Fureai Hiroba” is held only during the year-end and New Year holidays. (December 31st to January 8th)
Various restaurants open their doors and festivals like food festivals are held here. There are a variety of food stalls set up, from yakisoba, steak, beer, wine, champagne, to amazake (sweet sake) and ozoni (a kind of New Year’s snack), and it’s very exciting.
The cafe “Mori no Terrace” is also open from New Year’s Day, and you can enjoy cafe menus such as coffee, tea, and cakes.
The cafe “Mori no Terrace” in Forest Terrace Meiji jingu Shrine opens at 9:00, and NOODLE&RICE BOWL opens at 10:00, so we arrived at Meiji jingu Shrine at 9:30, and after visiting the shrine, we headed to Forest Terrace Meiji jingu Shrine. If you head there, you will be able to arrive at Forest Terrace around 10:00, so you will be able to choose from food trucks located at Forest Terrace Meiji jingu Shrine as well as restaurants located inside Forest Terrace Meiji Jingu.
In this respect, we recommend arriving at Meiji jingu Shrine at 9:30 am.
No need to wait in line for 3 hours! Let’s visit New Year’s visit efficiently
Approximately 3 million people visit Meiji jingu Shrine every year, and the New Year’s visit to the shrine is very exciting. People gather at the precincts just before New Year’s Eve, and with New Year’s Eve, more and more people come to visit the shrine.
Under such circumstances, it was very stressful for him to spend three hours trudging through the queue on New Year’s Day, a cold winter day, on the approach to the shrine that would normally only take 10 minutes to walk.
However, if you just consider the time of day you wish to visit, you can easily visit the shrine without having to wait in line for three hours.
I also highly recommend the food festival called Fureai Hiroba, which has a New Year’s menu, so be sure to stop by.
Spend a smooth and enjoyable New Year’s visit to Meiji jingu Shrine by planning your time to visit the shrine so you don’t accidentally go to Meiji jingu Shrine at a suitable time and wait in line for hours.
