Yasukuni Shrine

What to know

Yasukuni Shrine (Yasukuni Jinja) is a Shinto shrine in central Tokyo that honors Japan's war dead. Founded in 1869, it enshrines those who died in war for their country, sacrificing their lives to build a peaceful Japan.

The spirits of about 2.5 million people are enshrined here, including those who died in the Meiji Restoration, Satsuma Rebellion, First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, World War I, Manchurian Incident, Second Sino-Japanese War, and the Pacific War. Their names, origins, and dates of death are recorded in written records.

A political controversy surrounds Yasukuni Shrine because since 1978, fourteen Class A war criminals have been among the enshrined. Official visits by prime ministers and cabinet members since 1975 have raised concerns about violating the separation of church and state.

Next to the shrine stands the Yushukan, a museum presenting Japan's wars from a conservative perspective, with extensive English information. The grounds feature hundreds of cherry trees, including Tokyo's representative tree used by the meteorological agency to declare the official start of cherry blossom season.

Yasukuni Shrine is a short walk from Kudanshita Station on the Hanzomon, Tozai, and Shinjuku subway lines.

From Tokyo Station, take the Marunouchi Line to Otemachi (1 minute), then transfer to the Hanzomon Line to Kudanshita Station (4 minutes). The one-way fare is 180 yen.