Yasukuni Shrine
Yasukuni Shrine
4
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
A large, torii gate stands at the entrance to this shrine built in memory of those who lost their lives defending Japan. Many officials still come and offer prayer annually on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.
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The area
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Neighbourhood: Yotsuya / Iidabashi
Yotsuya and Iidabashi are areas that developed around the outer moat of the Imperial palace. Nearby in Kagurazaka, there is an old red-light district with a photogenic feel evocative of the ambiance of old Tokyo. Narrow paths with stone paving remain to this day, and there are long-standing restaurants with geishas and quaint old cafes in townhouse buildings.
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4.0
1,641 reviews
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Very good
717
Average
235
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21
Terrible
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olafoomes
Amstelveen, The Netherlands1,660 contributions
Mar 2022
During my 2022 (post COVID) cherry blossom trip I could not leave out Yasukuni Shrine of course. Apart from the shrine complex itself the blooming cherry blossoms are an absolute must to visit whenever you are in Tokyo during this specific season.
And wow what a spectacular spot it was especially in combination with the shrine. It's really nice to stroll on the compound of this shrine and view all those beautiful cherry trees in the park around the shrine. And I was not alone; a lot of Japanese people were enjoying it as well and rightly so.
If you are not visiting Yasukuni during the cherry blossom period be advised that the war museum on the compound itself is definitely worth a visit. At the entrance area of this museum you can see a beautiful restored Zero fighter.
And wow what a spectacular spot it was especially in combination with the shrine. It's really nice to stroll on the compound of this shrine and view all those beautiful cherry trees in the park around the shrine. And I was not alone; a lot of Japanese people were enjoying it as well and rightly so.
If you are not visiting Yasukuni during the cherry blossom period be advised that the war museum on the compound itself is definitely worth a visit. At the entrance area of this museum you can see a beautiful restored Zero fighter.
Written 20 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carloscharmy
Bangkok, Thailand780 contributions
Apr 2023
My early morning visit to Yasukuni Jinja was a serene escape that left a lasting impression. With the tranquility of the garden and the peaceful atmosphere of the shrine itself, it was a welcome retreat from the bustling city. The meticulously designed garden offered a soothing stroll, accompanied by the gentle sounds of nature. Despite its central location, the shrine exuded an air of calm that provided a much-needed respite from the outside world. Yasukuni Jinja is not just a historical and cultural site, but also a haven for finding inner peace and reflection.
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marco T
Florence, Italy1,927 contributions
May 2024 • Solo
Given the abundance of temples and shrines in Tokyo, there is certainly no shortage of opportunities for reflection on spiritual matters in this city. Yet this one, of its kind, is unique. This can already be understood when reading the panel located at the beginning of the long avenue that leads to the Yasukuni: here, it is explained to us, two and a half million souls are kept. Yes, this is the chosen expression. They are the souls of all those who have left their earthly life sacrificing it for the good and greatness of their homeland (whoever, despite the lower case, finds the term excessive, replace it with "country". The substance does not change). In fact, many Japanese died during the wars waged by the archipelago. One could comment on their sacrifice with obvious words, but here we learn to understand that this is not the case: having erected this shrine by strictly connecting it with the Shinto religion demonstrates how here we still know how to recognize the value that acts of dedication to the national cause deserve . For this reason, the place is sober and entry inside is granted to those who have the qualifications to participate with faith in the religious rite. The solemnity is not diminished, but rather strengthened, by the fact of seeing recognized, with as many celebratory statues, the sacrifice made, for the same reason, by other living beings: horses, dogs, carrier pigeons. You participate, each at your own level, in the order of the cosmos.
Written 19 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel B
New York City, NY824 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Let's face it, Yasukuni is not the most famous temple in Tokyo. It is not included in the top places; guides usually avoid it. At the same time, this temple, of course, has a very sad and controversial reputation. It was because of her that my friend and I decided to visit him, and even then only for show. However, we must admit that this temple exceeded all our expectations and became one of the best places we visited in Tokyo. At the entrance to the temple, visitors are greeted by a huge torii gate. I have been to many sanctuaries and temples, but I confess that this is the first time in my life that I have seen such a huge gate. They really seemed gigantic to me. Having passed through them, my friend and I found ourselves in the main territory of the temple. It’s worth noting here that we visited Japan during the cherry blossom season, and what we saw inside the Yasukuni Shrine simply amazed us. Many cherry blossoms harmoniously filled the entire temple. Against the backdrop of rain and a concert of traditional Japanese music that was taking place at that moment, the myriads of cherry blossoms had a truly mesmerizing effect on us. After taking photos and enjoying the view, we moved on and reached the museum. There I really liked the Zero fighter, standing right at the entrance and which you can watch completely free of charge. There was also an exhibition of works by Leiji Matsumoto. So, initially wanting to visit the place just because of its notoriety, we ended up finding one of the best places in Tokyo to enjoy hanami (cherry blossoms). I definitely recommend visiting.
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark T
Ageo, Japan604 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
Yasukuni is an old shrine. It has been there since the Meiji period in the middle of the 19th century. The nearest stations are either JR Ichigaya or Kudanshita from subway lines.
Please don't forget to bow when you enter the shrine. Cherry blossoms are beautiful in spring. There is a restaurant and souvenir shop. You can find some rare military memorabilia that I am not sure you can find at Amazon. Regarding the restaurant, they serve the Japanese Imperial Navy curry rice which is awesome.
The museum is very informative. People can see samurai swords and Japanese imperial army& navy-related exhibitions. You can know the history of Japanese nationalist's points of view. You also see a Zero fighter and other Tokko suicide weapons such as Kaiten and Shinyo.
English readings are available at the exhibitions, but they are limited. You need to Google the history of Japan if you are interested in it. There are a lot of statues and weapons that were used by the imperial Japanese army.
Please don't forget to bow when you enter the shrine. Cherry blossoms are beautiful in spring. There is a restaurant and souvenir shop. You can find some rare military memorabilia that I am not sure you can find at Amazon. Regarding the restaurant, they serve the Japanese Imperial Navy curry rice which is awesome.
The museum is very informative. People can see samurai swords and Japanese imperial army& navy-related exhibitions. You can know the history of Japanese nationalist's points of view. You also see a Zero fighter and other Tokko suicide weapons such as Kaiten and Shinyo.
English readings are available at the exhibitions, but they are limited. You need to Google the history of Japan if you are interested in it. There are a lot of statues and weapons that were used by the imperial Japanese army.
Written 23 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
goi⋆⸜ ⚘ ⸝⋆
Tokyo, Japan5,996 contributions
Jan 2022 • Solo
YASUKUNI SHRINE
Yasukuni Shrine, which was founded in 1869, is a shrine managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that enshrines the spirit of those who lost their lives for the nation due to war.
Every summer on the anniversary of the end of the war, many people and Japanese government officials come to worship.
✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼
靖国神社
正月も少し過ぎ落ち着いた早朝の時間
朝のランニングの途中に参拝に訪れました
鳥居をくぐると世界が変わります
国のために命を落とした御霊を祀る招魂社
今の平和な時代に我々が居られるのも自らの身を削り
敵と戦い国家の安定に尽くした多くの人々が居たからこそ
不合理で過酷な時代に生きた方に想いを馳せて
静かに手を合わせて神社を後にしました…
靖国神社に参拝に訪れる目的としては
新年の挨拶も念頭にありますが、
自分自身の希望や目標を願うというよりも
慰霊に敬意を表し感謝をする
という方が正しい目的と思われます…
神社内の空気感が変わるのはそんな人々が
我々の平和を見守ってくださる所以でしょうか…
✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼
Yasukuni Shrine, which was founded in 1869, is a shrine managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that enshrines the spirit of those who lost their lives for the nation due to war.
Every summer on the anniversary of the end of the war, many people and Japanese government officials come to worship.
✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼
靖国神社
正月も少し過ぎ落ち着いた早朝の時間
朝のランニングの途中に参拝に訪れました
鳥居をくぐると世界が変わります
国のために命を落とした御霊を祀る招魂社
今の平和な時代に我々が居られるのも自らの身を削り
敵と戦い国家の安定に尽くした多くの人々が居たからこそ
不合理で過酷な時代に生きた方に想いを馳せて
静かに手を合わせて神社を後にしました…
靖国神社に参拝に訪れる目的としては
新年の挨拶も念頭にありますが、
自分自身の希望や目標を願うというよりも
慰霊に敬意を表し感謝をする
という方が正しい目的と思われます…
神社内の空気感が変わるのはそんな人々が
我々の平和を見守ってくださる所以でしょうか…
✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼
Written 5 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Twitty0327
Tokyo, Japan813 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
It was the first time I showed up for the Mitama Festival because I came close at the right time. Many lanterns greet you, and as you walk towards the temple grounds, the mikoshi begin to dance and it is so crowded that you cannot walk around. There were many foreign tourists and I felt the Japanese summer.
Automatically translated
Written 24 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OnAir803420
Tokyo, Japan26,391 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
When I visited on March 13, 2024, the cherry blossom specimen tree in the temple grounds had only just buds. Last year (2023), the cherry blossoms were declared to have bloomed on March 14, and since it was warm this year, I expected that they would bloom earlier. There was a notice posted that there were about 500 Somei Yoshino cherry trees in the temple grounds, but the only one in bloom was the one belonging to the Rumasaki Association, which was located in a position opposite the specimen tree across from the Shinmon Gate (see attached photo). There was also a notice posted about the Night Cherry Blossom Pilgrimage (18:00-20:00) to be held from March 22 to 31. If you are interested and have the time, why not join us?
Written 13 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shalli Ang
Singapore, Singapore764 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
Small simple shrine. Husband wanted to visit after seeing the review online. I take the opportunity to admire the 2 sakura trees at the entrance of the shrine.
It was a short walk from Kudanshita station.
It was a short walk from Kudanshita station.
Written 24 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pedro de Pedra
Rotterdam, The Netherlands1,123 contributions
Jan 2014 • Family
Before considering to visit this shrine I strongly suggest that you do some history investigation and thereafter some self reflection. As beautiful this place can be and as many common soldiers are honoured here, this shrine also honours 14 class A war criminals, the worst kind, of the Second World War. It is the Japanese variant of visiting an hypothetical monument honouring the Third Reich in Germany, including Hitler and Mengele. Would you consider visiting that on your trip to Berlin if it existed? The war museum on the premises is unpleasantly revisionist. That reviewers from countries that had civilians under the burden of Japan's war crimes non the less call this museum "an eye opening experience" and "fresh perspective", show the effects of propaganda. So unless the remains of these 14 war criminals are removed and the museum also acknowledges unbiasedly Japan's share in war agressions and crimes, it is better to avoid visiting this shrine altogether.
Written 17 January 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Tripadvisor member
Fukutsu, Japan
Is it okay to take photos? On the Yasukuni Shrine website it says they don't want people taking photos. Is that true?
Written 2 August 2018
You are not allowed to take photos of the shrine and most of the sections in the museum.
Written 4 August 2018
身内に軍属の輸送船の船員で昭和19年に台湾沖で米軍の潜水艦に撃沈され戦死しております。靖国神社に合祀されているかどうか調べる方法をお教えください。
Written 26 July 2018
もう解決してしまっていましたら申し訳ありませんが、敷地内の遊就館内に戦没者様の御写真や御名前などができる限り展示されて探す事ができるようになっているようでした。
見つかると良いですね
失礼いたしますm(__)m
Written 1 January 2019
É grátis. No entanto, a taxa de entrada para "Yushukan" é de \1000.
Written 2 October 2017
Can you still see the WWII Judy (& Ohka) aircraft and can you take photographs (for personal use)?
Written 2 July 2017
The shrine and the museum are separate. No restrictions on photos in the museum.
Written 2 July 2017
Hi!
Can you go inside Yasukuni shrine where the Shinto priests are praying? If so, can you give me information. Thanks
Written 22 April 2017
I don't think so. It is a very sacred place for the Japanese.
Written 23 April 2017
Sorry for the late reply! The shrine itself is free but the war museum that is located on shrine grounds are around $15 a person
Written 22 September 2016
G P
New York City, New York
Hi,
Can you take pets - a dog - into the shrine with you?
Thanks!
George
Written 5 March 2015
Depends on the shrine.
today ive seen many people bring there pets to local shrines for new years day.
But I would check website most major shrines have homepages these days.
Written 1 January 2020
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