I’m Rachel, a shrine lover.
I visited Yasukuni shrine which will celebrate its 150th anniversary year soon. The shrine was built to console the souls of those who lost their lives for the country and hand down their legacy to future generations.
The shrine was built with a wish to build a peaceful nation and currently, about 2,466,000 souls of the victims are enshrined.
The nearest station is Kudanshita Station. It is a 5-minute walk from the station, but there is an uphill road to the shrine, so it takes more than 10 minutes for wheelchairs users.
The station has the Tokyo Metro Tozai line, Hanzomon line and Toei Shinjuku line.
Exit No.7 is the best for passengers using the Tozai line from the direction of Nishi Funabashi.
Exit No.6 is the best for other lines’ passengers to go to the ground floor.
I am got out from exit No.6 today.
There is a universal toilet next to the elevator of exit No.6.
After taking the elevator, you can see the big Torii, the main gate of the shrine, beyond the intersection on your left side.Please climb the slope named “Kudan-Zaka” to the shrine. The slope is paved, but it is long and a little strength would be required for a period of time if you were to push a wheelchair forward manually.
I finally reached the large gate, which is 25m high. I bowed at the gate and proceeded straight on a stone-paved road.
You will see a bronze statue soon. There is a parking lot on the right side of the statue. The parking fee for 30 minutes is 200 yen. You come into the shrine from here when coming to the shrine by car.
You can borrow a wheelchair for free.
There is a souvenir shop and a restaurant on both sides after proceeding further. You can have Ramen noodle, Udon (wheat noodle), Soba (Buckwheat noodle), Gyu-don (Beef-over-rice-bowl) and Yakisoba (pan-fried noodle) at the restaurant.
There is the “Oote-Suisha”, which is a washbasin. Please wash and purify your hands and mouth before offering prayers.
There is a huge wooden gate with chrysanthemum symbols, which is the Japanese Emperor’s family symbol. Please use the ramps installed at both sides of the gate. The gate is open between 6am to 6pm.
You arrive at the main shrine after going through the third Torii.Ramps are also installed there, so wheelchair users can get to the altar at the front of the building and offer a prayer.Making bows twice, clapping twice and make a bow again is the formal way to offer a prayer.
After turning right and proceeding further, there is the reception desk of the main shrine. Making a prayer in front of the main shrine is for free but entering the building requires a fee. Wheelchair users have to change wheelchairs to the one provided by the shrine to enter the building but they can still make a prayer inside the building.
Basically, there are no other languages services available except Japanese, but there are some staff who can speak English a little depending on the working shift.
There are English, Chinese and Korean versions of the brochures available.
After proceeding more, you can see “Yushu-kan”. It is the museum about the Japanese modern history and the enshrined souls.Wheelchair users can move around and see every exhibition smoothly. Exhibitions have explanations written in English and Japanese. English brochures are also available.
Admission to shops and exhibition spaces on the first floor is free. However, exhibitions on other floors require fees.
There is a multipurpose toilet on the first floor and recommendable for wheelchair users to the shrine.
Before leaving the shrine, I had a cup of “Navy coffee” at a cafe on the first floor of the museum. It was pretty strong.
I talked to a couple who were eating “Navy curry” next to me. They told me they came from Greenland and they came to the shrine because the shrine was introduced in their guide book and they were curious about Yasukini which enshrines Japanese souls.
