Tokyo Temples and Shrines Guide

Activity > Tokyo > Sightseeing

This is a list of the best temples and shrines in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Although modern Tokyo is probably more well known as a futuristic megalopolis, it has a long history spanning back more than 500 years of which the Shinto and Buddhism religions (along with some Confucianism) played a large role in the lives of the indigenous people. Shinto shrines along with Buddhism and Confucius temples are everywhere in Tokyo as up until WW2 the Japanese people were a very religious people being a Shintoist, a Buddhist and even a mix of both. One of the great things about visiting a temple or shrine in Tokyo is that it they are free, give you a chance to get away from the concrete jungle and hustle & bustle of the city. Most shrines and temples have lots of trees, gardens, koi ponds and nature where you can sit down on a bench and relax for a while taking in the beautiful surroundings.

Although Tokyo is a massive city, trains and subways make it quick and easy to get around so it's very possible to visit all the temples and shrines on this list rather easily. However, it is possible to get "temple'd out", as they say. Visiting too many temples and or shrines in one day can start to make them all blur together to the point where you've just plain had enough and it's not fun anymore. If your really into the history and culture of Japan and enjoy visiting the sites, by all means enjoy them all! However, two or maybe... three in one day is probably enough for most tourists to Japan. An important aspect that may make these attractions more interesting is the history behind them. Some of these temples and shrines in Tokyo have fascinating history and by knowing that history and then visiting the actual destination really makes them feel alive.

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Sensoji Temple

Sensoji temple is in Asakusa and ties with Meiji shrine (see below) for being one of the most visited temples/shrines in Tokyo. It is an absolutely gorgeous complex with a variety of buildings from massive gates, to a pagoda and the main temple itself. There is also a long "Shopping Arcade" which mainly sells tourist targeted trinkets which leads up to the main temple grounds. It's fun to walk through the shopping arcade once but if you had enough the first time, there are plenty of side-streets you can take to avoid the crowds. Sensoji can get absolutely jam-packed on weekends, holidays and summer months (over 30 million visitors a year) so be aware of that before you go. If you wish to miss the crowds, weekday early morning is your best bet. The original complex of Sensoji was founded in 645 AD which they say makes Sensoji the oldest Buddhist temple in the Tokyo area but the original structures were destroyed in the WW2 air raid bombings and the current structures were built after the war.

The Sensoji complex is a perfect example of how two religions, Buddhism and Shinto, mesh so well in Japan. In the same area/complex you will find the actual Sensoji temple AND the Asakusa Shrine. Futhermore the Mitsumine shrine is right next to the Hexagonal temple.

For more details please visit the Sensoji Temple page.

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Meiji Shrine

Meiji shrine, along with Sensoji temple (above) is a very popular destination but the grounds and walkways are expansive so it doesn't feel so crowded, even on the weekends (Japanese New Year is the exception when the entire area gets packed with Japanese for New Year worship). The Meiji shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken to commemorate, i.e. "thank him" for his role in the Meiji Restoration (a plan by the Emperor to bring Japan up to speed with the rest of the world starting in 1868). Construction on the original shrine began in 1915 and was completed in 1921 but these original buildings were destroyed in WW2. The current buildings were rebuilt and completed in 1958. To get to the actual shrine you will walk about a kilometer (half a mile) through a beautiful park that has huge Tori gates at various points along the route, including at the entrance. The path is wide and level so it's an easy walk (in summer it can get extremely hot so bring a bottle of water and a sun umbrella). The best way to get to the shrine is by starting at Harajuku Station and walk across Jingu Bashi (the bridge that crosses the tracks from Harajuku Station to the entrance of the park).

For more details please visit the Meiji Shrine page.

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Yasukuni Shrine

Yasukuni shrine is not as popular or as well known to the Western World as Asakusa temple or Meiji shrine but Yasukuni shrine is one of Japan's most important and controversial shines. Yasukuni shrine was founded in 1869 after the Boshin War by Emperor Meiji. The shrine commemorates Japanese and some foreigners who died on behalf of Japan in wars, including WW2 Japanese war criminals, 14 of which are "A-Class" level criminals. As you can expect, this shrine is not particularly liked by many nations and people, especially those who were effected by some of the criminals mentioned at the shrine. Nevertheless, those who have died for their country are respected by the Shinto religion and Yasukuni shrine is the place where it's done. You won't find the "light and happy" atmosphere at Yasukuni shrine that you might feel at Asakusa temple as the shrine is a serious and sad reminder for many of the many wars in Japan's history as well as a symbol of dedication to the Emperor. After WW2 the "Occupation Authorities" led by the US planned to burn down and destroy the shrine as part of the of the separation of church (Shintoism and the Emperor) and state dictated in Japan's surrender terms but two leading Father's of the Roman Catholic Church stated that, "honoring war dead is the right and duty of citizens everywhere" so the shrine was allowed to remain.

For more details please visit the Yasukuni Shrine page.

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Zojoji Temple

Zojoji temple is right next to Tokyo Tower and within walking distance of Hamamatsucho Station which is a station on the main Yamanote Line that loops Tokyo. The Zojoji complex is expansive and includes various buildings, bell tower the main temple and the "oldest wooden structure in Tokyo" which is the main entrance gate called Sangadetsumon which dates from 1622. While all the other original structures at Zojoji have been destroyed at some point, amazingly the Sangadetsumon gate survived the two major Tokyo fires and WW2! The temple is easily accessible from Hamamatsucho station (15 min. walk) and you will pass through Sangadetsumon gate on the way to the main temple. The view is spectacular from the temple complex because just on the other side is Tokyo tower. From most anywhere within Zojoji you can get a nice shot of old Japanese temple culture with the Retro Tokyo Tower in the background.

For more details please visit the Zojoji Temple page

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Sengakuji Temple

Sengakuji temple is another not very well known shrine in among the general public in Western nations but this temple is super famous for being the final resting place of the "47 Ronin", real history that has been turned into countless movies in Japan and even Hollywood. The temple itself is a pretty standard temple in the heart of Tokyo but the 47 Ronin who are interned at Sengakuji have left a legacy admired by generations. The Ako Incident was the reason Sengakuji became famous and has attracted fans and admirers of story ever since. At Sengakuji you can actually see the graves where the 47 Ronin are interned. To get there you can walk from Shinagawa station, only a 15-20 min. walk, or get on the subway and ride one stop to Sengakuji station. Before you go, it would make the trip a lot more interesting if you read up on the history of the temple or even watched one of the movies made about the story. See our Sengakuji detail page for a list of movies about the 47 Ronin.

For more details please visit the Sengakuji Temple page.

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Nezu Shrine

Many people say Nezu Shrine is the most beautiful shrine in Tokyo... and it is beautiful! Not only is it beautiful but most of the structures have survived Tokyo's major fires and WW2 so many structures are the originals that were built in 1705 when in was founded. The grounds are gorgeous with lots of green, trees, a Koi pond and lot and lots of Tori gates. If you visit Nezu shrine on a regular weekday it will be pretty quiet with few visitors giving you a chance to experience the shrine in peace. Although a bit of a walk, you can walk to Nezu shrine from Ueno station and Ueno park in about 30 min. If you don't feel like walking you can always ride a subway and get within a 10 min. walk. Nezu shrine makes a great place for some fascinating pictures... but, of course, please respect the people who actually come and pray as this is a place of worship for many.

For more details please visit the Nezu Shrine page.

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Yushima Seido

Yushima Seido is an anomaly as it is a Confucian temple in a place where Buddhism and Shinto dominated for thousands of years. At one small point in Japanese history, Confucianism became the main "philosophy" (some say religion) for the reigning Shoguns. The Yushima Seido complex was moved to it's current location in 1690 from the Ueno Park area. All of the original buildings burned down in various Tokyo fires and most of the current structures were built in the 1930's, designed by a famous Japanese architect at the time Ito Chuta. The main building is slightly ominous being dark, strong, full of history and strongly religious in it's nature. An interesting aspect of the temple is that inside the grounds there is a statue of Confucius which is the world's largest.

For more details please visit the Yushima Seido page.

This is a list of some of the best temples and shrines in Tokyo. If you would like to our full list, please view our full list of all the temples and shrines in Tokyo.