Japan - Tokyo, Part 4

Welcome to Meiji Jingu

Magokoro

(Sincere Heart)

This is a Shinto Shrine, conceived and dedicated as a dwelling place for the divine souls of Emperor Meiji and His consort, Empress Shoken.  Shinto, Japan's ancient belief system, has no originator, no holy book and no sense of a religious conversion.  It is recognition of the gratitude felt for Kami (divine spirits) who inhabit natural living things including human beings.  It can be thought of as a benign, positive force of pure energy and witnessed as good virtue.

To pay respect at a shrine, you must cleanse yourself.

Fill the dipper, then rinse your left hand.

Rinse your right hand.

Pour water into your left hand and rinse your mouth.

Rinse your left hand again.

Raise the dipper and let the water run down the handle, cleansing it for the next user.

Now we are ready to pass through the tori gate, the largest in Japan, and enter Meiji Shrine.

Lanterns begin long before the tori gate and continue along long paths to the shrine.  These must have been lovely at dusk, with flickering candlelight guiding you along the twists and turns.

The way has been prepared.  People view the Kami with awe and gratitude.  Offerings may be left by throwing coins in the receptacle for this purpose.  The coin with the most significance is the 5 yen coin.  It is believed that offering these coins will connect you to a person who is still invisible to you but will be important in your life.

The shiniest, newest coins are kept aside for this purpose.

To make an offering:

Put some coins in the receptacle box.

Bow twice.

Clap your hands twice.

Bow once again.

You have now alerted the Kami, with respect, to your presence.

(the receptacle box is inside, a lady is standing in front of it)

(photos are not allowed inside the actual shrine)

I put a Ema here for my grandchildren.

As I was walking out, I was very fortunate to see a bride and groom in traditional dress who had come to the shrine for their traditional wedding portrait.  It is believed to be good luck as Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken excelled in matrimonial harmony.

(I asked permission to take these pictures and they may not be used by anyone else without this couple's permission.)

Aren't they a lovely couple!

Meiji Shrine uses the proceeds from saki to preserve the grounds for prosperity.  The graphics on the barrels are works of art.

The Emperor and Empress excelled at writing traditional Japanese waku poetry, a verse of 31 syllables.  Here are two examples that have a philosophic thread.

Even while yielding

To it's container's form,

Water too can pierce

Entirely through the hardest rock;

Such is it's enduring strength.

(Emperor Meiji, died 1912)

By self reflection

And questioning our own hearts

We should then perceive

The proper path to pursue

And nothing would confuse us.

(Empress Shoken, died 1914)

It is regrettably time to leave Meiji Shrine, but I wanted to emphasize one virtue that may be Kami inspired, cleanliness.  It was evident all through Japan.  This preserve is in a natural state.  The trees are now approaching 100 years and it is a true forest.  Nowhere, on any of the broad paths and roads, did I see any fallen leaves let alone discarded paper.  This was due to the effort of gentlemen like these.  (Again, I asked permission for this picture.  You are not allowed to reproduce it.)

 

The broom is made from dried brush from the forest.

Meiji Shrine, April 9, 2010.

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