We thank many guests joining this tour. On that day we welcomed 20 guests from UK, Australia , USA, Belgium, Spain, Nederland, and Indonesia and then we divided into 4 groups. It was really a hot day, unbelievable in this time of the year. So the groom and the bride we saw should have felt very hot. Their costumes are typical Japanese Shinto Shrine wedding style. However, a groom costume, black suite and gray stripe trousers is kind of, western. Black was never used as formal ceremony cloth color, even for funerals before modern period. In late 19th century when Japanese officials held western type ceremonies or parties, to get along with westerners attending ceremonies, black and gray color kimono became standard for men. Then black turned formal clothes color for every occasion in modern time. Some kind of adaptation of the West was seen, just like Meiji Emperor memorized in the shrine was actively acquiring western customs. Meiji Emperor was the first man who cut off folded hair on head to look after western men. In those days men without folded hair was considered outcast. So he became a model for modern Japanese men. Westernization was modernization in […]
Thank you for joining our tour today. Today we welcomed 13 guests from many countries. Now we are in the middle of September. Hot summer has gone by and the weather is gradually shifting to autumn. Soon Japan will enter the best season for travelling. Please come and join our tour. Now let me get back to today’s tour topic ( Meiji shrine-Harajyuku ) . Today’s topic is about a torii which has inseperable with a shrine. The first torii of Meiji shrine is the gathering place of our tour. When Japanese see this torii, most Japanese think a shrine is close by. And also Japanese feel a little tense ,because they know they are entering into sacred world. Torii is said to be the border between the present world and the sacred world. And there are some theories regarding origin of Torii. Here, let me introduce you one of the theories. Since many years ago bird is said to be messenger of god. When it descends from the heaven, it temporary stays on a perch , and this perch has changed to the present torii and has been for many years. I owe it to […]
Today in Tokyo it was raining and temporally heavily. We are grateful for our nine guests from all over the world who joined, regardless of the bad weather conditions. . Meiji Shrine is famous for its religious meaning, but I think Meiji Shrine has another aspect. Let me introduce. In Meiji Shrine Meiji Emperor and Shoken Empress spirits are enshrined. And this year our country has welcomed 150 year anniversary of the Meiji Restoration. Meiji Restoration means the change from ‘samurai’ warrior’ governing system to democratic governing system. And Meiji Emperor was the first emperor ofthe new era. And at the beginning of the Meiji period, Meiji Emperor declared the 5 pledges to the world. Along this approach to the main hall the signboard where the 5 pledges are written is built. Simply speaking , the content of this 5 pledges is as follows; We must carry out discussions, and all politics decisions must be decided by public opinion. We should abolish bad old traditions of the feudal period, and we should absorb advanced knowledge, culture from foreign countries. Meiji Shrine is the good place for us to remind […]
On the 19th of August, we welcomed around 10 guests on our walking tour. Guests came from different regions of the world, including Singapore, Turkey, Spain, and Canada. Finally, the scorching weather which prevailed all over Japan for the past month has come to an end. The heat index in Tokyo has fallen drastically, and the temperature is now recorded at around 28 degrees Celsius. At the start of the tour, the weather was so perfect but occasionally the sky was exceedingly covered with scattered clouds. It was the first time in 20 days that the group was able to comfortably stroll around Harajuku and this is due to the fall in temperature. Most of the leaves of the trees in the sacred forest surrounding the Meiji Shinto Shine seemed to exhibit their vivid green colors, more than ever. Before we started our tour, we divided the attendees into two small groups for the purpose of facilitating interaction during the two hours stroll in the Shinto Shrine compound. It’s a pleasure to talk about their travel plans with them and learn about each tourists attraction. At the same time, we can base their feedback to further improve and manage guide […]
It was another hot day in Tokyo which was over 30 degrees Celsius at 10 am in the morning! Despite the heat, we welcomed nine Tokyo lover tourists from Australia, Belgium, U.K., U.S., and Vietnam. We divided up into four groups so that the guides can communicate closely in small groups. Having got together in front of the first Torii Gate next to JR Harajuku station, we started the tour on time at 10 am, although some of the guest came pretty early. We were sorry to have them wait but the tour requires no reservation for any possible tourists to drop in on sight. Crossing the Torii gate which separates the crowded human world and the holly God’s world, we had a “cool” refreshing walk in the forest surrounding the shrine. On the way toward the main building, things behind Japanese culture were introduced such as who was Emperor Meiji and history of the imperial family, the “spiritual” function of sake, etc. The guests today were lucky enough to see a bride and groom once they entered the main building area. They were in formal traditional kimono costumes, the bride in white kimono and the groom black kimono. In […]
Thank you very much for joining us even when it was a very hot day. We appreciate all of our guests whom were brave enough to overcome the heat!! (Actually we could have plenty of shade inside Meiji Jungu to walk around) We welcomed 17 guests from U.S.A, Canada, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Italy, U.K. “What is this?” We were asked by our guests when arriving at the 2nd Torii. It was also our first time to see a SAKAKI attached to the Oo-torii, and the branch itself looked like a giant ornament to match the size of the huge torii. SAKAKI (English name: Cleyera japonica Thunb)is a sacred tree, which has a meaning of the boundary between gods and humans. It is said that the the gods dwell in the sharp branches. Or in Japanese old myth, SAKAKI marks the place where the god exists. How amazing…, Each time we visit the Meiji Jingu or Harajuku, we have a new discovery as our guests!! Let us share the lasting excitement or surprise with all of you. We look forward meeting you every other week at Meiji Jungu, Sunday 10:00 a.m. (posted by Nori)
We’ve been puzzled over the weird weather since this spring. By the first days of April, cherry blossoms had already gone. And now, rainy season had ended by the end of June. Both happened about two weeks earlier than usual, so surprised! Anyways, we were grateful that 19 guests from US, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Italy and Spain joined our tour last weekend. It was their first visit to Japan for most of them. I hope they had enjoyed our tour through the Meiji Shrine and Harajuku area. At the front of the main pavilion, one of the guests found a bamboo with decoration of colored papers and asked what they are for. We have ‘Tanabata (七夕)’, a festival of the Weaver Star on July 7th. It is based on an old Chinese legend, in which the two star lovers separated by the Milky Way meet once a year on this day. People write their wishes on narrow paper tablets and hang them on bamboo leaves with other decorations, extending their prayers to the stars. These tablets are written by many kids, one of then was written, “I wanna be a animal doctor!”, or the other was “I wanna get more Pokemon!”, so cute! […]
Thank you for joining our Tokyo Free Walking Tour. One day during the rainy season in Tokyo, we had a cloudy sky and a ray of sunshine. On that same day, 17th of June, we welcomed 15 guests from, U.S.A., Australia, Argentina Singapore, Italy and Germany in front of Torii, or the Shinto Shrine gate, -the Meiji Shinto Shrine in Harajaku. The weather condition didn’t hinder the people to explore and feel the freshness of the mysterious tunnel made by more than 100,000 trees in the Shinto shrine ground. While looking around the woods in the shrine compound, we saw some moisture still descending from the trees above us. We enjoyed witnessing a few Japanese traditional events while strolling in the Shrine compound. We were able to watch the demonstration of wagashi-making, or making of Japanese traditional sweets. The other event was a Japanese traditional wedding ceremony. Both of the events fully attracted the guests’ attention and became subjects of their photos. Our guides normally introduce to the guests the distinctive events on the spot. Interestingly, there was another event held in this sacred area at the same time. The kyudo competition, or also known as Japanese archery competition was […]
I sincerely thank you for taking the time for joining the tour to Meiji Shrine and Harajuku on June 3. We had nine guests from the various countries of Canada,America,Mexico,Columbia,Chile,UK and Philippines. Four of the guests had participated in our tour to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace on the previous day which we appreciate very much. The weather was perfect on this day prior to the rainy season. I hope all of you enjoyed walking with us. As you might have been guided, Harajuku Station is the Tokyo’s oldest wooden station, the gateway to Meiji Shrine/Takeshita Street and the symbol of Harajuku. The landscape is lovely with a little turret on the roof, the wooden beams on the walls and the old but artistic clock. It is regrettable that this beautiful building may be demolished. Current Harajuku Station was constructed in 1924 shortly after Meiji Shrine had been built. It was the year after the Great Kanto Earthquake. During WW2 the building was not destroyed by the airbombings and survives in its original form for nearly 100 years. This is half-timbered or the Tudor style often seen in the British countrysides. Not many people know that there is […]
Today, we welcomed 10 guests from UK, Russia, Canada, and Australia. Everyone enjoyed the peaceful scenery of the Meiji Shrine before diving into the mayhem of Harajuku Takeshita street. Second half of this tour is about Harajuku. Takeshita street is a 400 meter long street starting from the JR Harajuku Station. It is particularly well known as a trendy shopping street lined with alternative colorful clothing stores, costumes, colorful fun food shops such as crepes, candies, and ice cream for trendy shoppers. It is also known for the huge crowd on weekends, as people come from both inside and outside of Japan. Up to 2 hour queue will instantly be formed in front of popular shops. If you look closely at these lines, you may notice that Japanese keep some sort of distance between them and the person in front on them. This may be due to an experience that comes from the lessons most Japanese learn in gym classes during their elementary school days. Teachers would demand strict discipline, and lining up properly on the call of sensei’s “line up!” , “attention!” “right face!” was one of them. We thank all of our guest who have joined us today. We wish each and everyone a […]
