Shinto peace at Meiji shrine

It was a bit damp during most of our time in Tokyo - sometimes just humidity, a little drizzle or even actual rain. We decided to visit Meiji shrine on the rainiest of days, reckoning that armed with a couple of umbrellas, we'd be just fine for a walk in the gardens.

Meiji is a Shinto shrine found on the north side of Yoyogi park. It is an expansive, beautiful, peaceful green space in the middle of bustling Tokyo - the people have done an amazing job, as per Shinto tradition, of transitioning the atmosphere from mundane to sacred as one passes through the torii gate.

At the shrine, the kids learned to purify their hands and perform the ritual prayer: bow, bow, clap, clap, bow - of course, all preceded by an offering. Afterwards, Davy, Meg and Ben tried their luck at omikuji fortunes and shared a kakigori (shaved ice, mango-flavoured) in the park cafe.Read more