Date: 22 Feb 2009 Sunday
12:15 PM Meiji Shrine 明治神宮
First Torii at the entrance of Meiji Shrine
Narita Airport 
Hilton T Hotel Harajuku Meiji Shrine Hilton T Hotel Shibuya Hilton T Hotel
Barrels of Sake donated to the Shrine.
Instructions of the ritual of cleansing of hands and mouths is provided.
Rinse the left hand first, followed by the right hand.
Rinse mouth with water poured onto the palm of the left hand. Hold the dipper upright in both hands to rinse the handle with the remaining water.
JR’s turn!
The water was super refreshing and COLD…brrrrrrrrrr…. my hands were frozen after the “ritual”.
The shrine itself
Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken.
Prayers left by visitors
Oh, there’s a Shinto Wedding going on!
We were attracted to this wedding ceremony when we realised that there was another wedding “passing by” behind us!
Priests and maidens wearing traditional dresses for the wedding.
Everybody seems to be very serious.
Total silence.
We had a toilet break before leaving the Shrine.
Back to Takeshita Dori at 12:30 PM. The whole Meiji Shrine “tour” took us more than an hour! We shopped at Daiso to buy some toys for my darlings before leaving…
14:00 PM Leaving Harajuku 原宿
