Those who reviewed and said it was too crowded to visit the shrine, what do you expect? First is Japan, everywhere is crowded; second, its Mitama Matsuri, so dont expect to be empty! And is all over social media, of course its crowded! Have some patience.
Either way, the Yasukuni Shrine lanterns are the centerpiece of the annual Mitama Matsuri, a major summer event held over four days (July 13–16) to honor departed spirits. The festival illuminates the shrine grounds with roughly 30,000 glowing yellow paper lanterns.
Many come with Yukata and have photo session, honestly, perfect spot. Worth visiting and exploring, knowing more about japanese believes and culture.
Arigato!
Visited March 30, 2026. There is tons of cherry blossoms in full bloom here now. The sample tree used to declare sakura season is here, you can see it.
Extremely beautiful. Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社) is a Shinto shrine established in 1869 by Emperor Meiji to honor the spirits of those who died in service of the Japanese state, from the Boshin War through World War II. It enshrines about 2.5 million people, including 14 convicted Class‑A war criminals from the Tokyo trials, which has made it a deeply controversial symbol in East Asia and a frequent flashpoint in regional politics.
Very large place. Very quiet tho there are people. Big statue of a man. Interestingly the words on the statue is in traditional Chinese. I wonder why. And 2 huge torii gates.
Incredible visit to Yasukuni Shrine. It’s peaceful, beautiful, and interesting. Also visited the attached museum.
They host a sumo event every year in April. The grounds are beautiful. 4 stars because the affiliated museum doesn’t accurately present history, but everything else is great.
