will be missed

So I've seen quite a few shrines and temples in the last month. And while they are each beautiful and unique, I feel that some are more meaningfully attended and tended, and each brings something different to the tourist's table. When the girls were here, I took them to Meijing shrine in Shibuya. I had once attempted to see this shrine, but it was at the height of my knee pain, and I didn't make it to the actual shrine on account of the fire shooting sparks out my knee as well as the 1/2 mile journey to get to to the shrine.

But when the girls came, I thought it would be a good one to hit for comparison to the shrines they saw in Kyoto and Nara. I'll admit that as we trudged toward this shrine, I was thinking, "Oh man, another shrine." But when we finally rounded the bend to the actual shrine, my heart smiled a little.

Meijing shrine was built in 1920 in honor of Emperor Meiji and his wife. Emperor Meiji is considered one of the most forward thinking emperors of Japan, especially in his methods of Western thinking. He drank wine casually, wore Western clothes, and embraced new ways (often Western) of doing things. He is treasured and remembered for the influence he had on the country's progress. When he and his wife passed, the shrine and its accompanying grounds were constructed in their remembrance. During the air raids of WWII, the all-wood shrine was burned to the ground. About ten years later, the shrine was rebuilt with wood donated by the people. It remains one of the most visited shrines in Japan, with major events and services held there.

The simplicity of the shrine, the beautiful wood carvings, the open spaces, the meaning behind it - everything about this shrine just speaks peace to my soul. It's just a beautiful, reverent feeling. You can feel the respect the people have for their former emperor, and the respect they continue to pay.

I took Jess back a few days ago so he could see my favorite shrine as well as get some pictures for me.

The list is long, but this is yet another place I'll miss in Tokyo.