Visit and offer prayers at the shrine
In the first days of the New Year, I visited the Meiji Jingu which is the most popular shrine for the year’s first prayers (Hatsumode). Meiji Jingu attracts the largest number of New Year visitors in Tokyo. I visited the shrine early in the morning on January 3rd this year. The shrine was not so crowded and I was able to pay a visit to the shrine easily.
I recommend that wheelchair users also visit the shrine in earlier times of the day. I use Meiji-jingumae station to visit the shrine every year. I went out of the Harajuku gate of the station and then went up to the ground level by the elevator of the station. The Jingu Bridge is at the front. Once you cross the bridge, the entrance of the shrine is there.
Blood donation centers of the JAPANESE RED CROSS SOCIERY are set up at the side of the entrance of the shrine every year.
I passed the first gate (Torii), walked further on the south approach to the shrine. I noticed that the side roads along the approach were paved. It is easily accessible for wheelchair users and for visitors having large luggage.
As I proceeded further, barrels of sake on the left and barrels of wine on the right come in the sight. Ahead is a massive torii gate (Otorii).
I bowed once and walked further.
lined up on the right side of the approach. From here I feel the New Year’s traditional atmosphere. Turning to the right the end of the street, finally the first gate (ichino-torii) is seen.
I wait here for more than one hour every year. However there is not much crowd this year because I arrived here at an early time. Luckily I was able to save time. The Temizuya (font) in front of the torii is crowded by visitors rinsing their hands with fresh water. I passed by.
Wow, the gate was renovated.
(Explanation) Meiji Jingu was founded in 1920. In preparation for the shrine’s 100th anniversary in 2020 when the Tokyo Olympic takes place, renovation works are being carried out on some of the shrine’s buildings.
We also bowed once and went forward beyond the Sanmon gate and finally there is the main shrine building.
Although the Sanmon gate has steps, wheelchair users can cross the gate because there is a wide slope for the first three days of the New Year.
All right! It is not so crowded.
The huge offering box in front of the main shrine building. Visitors to the shrine are making a prayer for their luck of this year.
(Explanation) The main shrine building in the front is located at the north side and the Sanmon gate (Nanshin-mon) is located at the south side. The way back for Sangubashi station direction is the west gate which is the left side facing the main shrine building. The east gate on the right is the direction to Yoyogi or Harajuku.
The way back
On the far side of the east gate, amulets offices selling good luck charms and so on are lined up.
Here I rinsed my hands with fresh water because there was a Temizuya (font). The roof is new because renovation work was carried out. The roof of the main shrine building and the others will also be renovated hereafter.
Both sides of the back street on the way back is also well maintained. It is helpful for wheelchair users.
Food stalls
Usually the neighborhood of the food stalls is tranquil but several times of the year it is crowded with stalls and people here.
A new toilet is set up near the stall. Wheelchair users can also use it without anxiety.
