Senso-ji vs Meiji Jingu: Which Is Better?

By Best:in Editorial Team · Updated September 2026

As of September 2026, Senso-ji in Asakusa is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, formally established in 645 CE and visited by over 30 million people a year, while Meiji Jingu in Shibuya is a Shinto shrine completed in 1920 inside a 70-hectare planted forest. Senso-ji suits travelers who want Edo-period atmosphere and shopping streets; Meiji Jingu suits those who want quiet, forested grounds and imperial history.

How do Senso-ji and Meiji Jingu compare at a glance?

	Senso-ji	Meiji Jingu
Religious type	Buddhist temple (Sho Kannon sect)	Shinto shrine (Imperial shrine)
Founded	645 CE (legendary origin 628 CE)	November 1, 1920
Location	Asakusa, Taito Ward	Yoyogi, Shibuya Ward
Main grounds admission	Free (2026-09-27)	Free (2026-09-27)
Paid add-on fee	None	500 JPY Inner Garden, 1,000 JPY Museum (2026-09-27)
Annual visitors	over 30 million (2026-09-27)	not separately disclosed in millions by the shrine
Grounds size / forest	Compact temple precinct plus 200 m Nakamise street	70 hectares of planted forest (2026-09-27)
Nearest station	Asakusa Station (multiple lines)	Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote) / Meiji-jingumae Station

What is the history behind each site?

Senso-ji traces its origin to a legend dated March 18, 628 CE, when two fishermen pulled a golden statue of the bodhisattva Kannon from the Sumida River. The temple was formally established in 645 CE by the priest Shokai, making it the oldest temple in Tokyo. It was formerly affiliated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism and became an independent Sho Kannon sect temple in 1950. The original wooden buildings, including the main hall, were destroyed in the March 1945 air raids and rebuilt afterward, while the current Kaminarimon gate dates to a 1960 reconstruction funded by Panasonic founder Konosuke Matsushita.

Meiji Jingu has a much shorter history. Construction began after Emperor Meiji died in 1912 and Empress Shoken died in 1914, and the shrine precinct was completed on November 1, 1920. The surrounding forest was not inherited from an older sacred grove; it was planted using roughly 100,000 trees donated from across Japan and the labor of youth volunteers. Like Senso-ji, the shrine buildings were destroyed in World War II air raids and later rebuilt.

How much does each site cost and what are the hours?

Senso-ji's grounds and main hall are free to enter. The main hall is open from 6:00 to 17:00 daily, opening later at 6:30 between October and March. Nearby attractions such as Nakamise-dori shopping street and Asakusa Shrine are also free to walk through, though individual shops charge for goods and snacks.

Meiji Jingu's shrine grounds and both great torii gates are free to pass through. Two paid add-ons exist: the Inner Garden, which charges a 500 yen maintenance fee and is open from 9:00 to 16:30 (until 16:00 from November to February), and the Meiji Jingu Museum, designed by architect Kengo Kuma and opened in 2019, which charges 1,000 yen for adults and 900 yen for seniors and children. Last entry to both paid areas is 30 minutes before closing.

How do I get to each site from central Tokyo?

Reach Senso-ji via Asakusa Station
Take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line, or Tsukuba Express to Asakusa Station. The Kaminarimon Gate entrance is roughly a 1 to 8 minute walk from the various station exits, depending on which line is used.
Reach Meiji Jingu via Harajuku or Meiji-jingumae Station
Take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station for the southern entrance, or the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda or Fukutoshin Line to Meiji-jingumae Station. Both exits are about a 10 minute walk to the main shrine complex through the forest approach.
Combine both in one day
Asakusa and Yoyogi sit on opposite sides of central Tokyo, so allow at least 30 to 40 minutes of train travel between the two, plus transfer time. Visiting Senso-ji in the early morning before 8:00 and Meiji Jingu around midday avoids the heaviest crowds at both sites.

Which site should first-time visitors choose?

Visitors who want a compact, photogenic introduction to old Edo-period Tokyo, with shopping and street food along the way, tend to prefer Senso-ji. Its Nakamise-dori street runs about 200 meters from the Kaminarimon Gate to the main hall and is lined with stalls, so a visit can be combined with lunch and souvenir shopping in under two hours.

Visitors who want a quieter, greener experience closer to nature within the city tend to prefer Meiji Jingu, since its 70-hectare forest offers a longer, calmer walk before reaching the shrine buildings. Both sites can realistically be visited in the same day given they are connected by train in well under an hour.

What mistakes do visitors commonly make at each site?

At Senso-ji, a common mistake is arriving mid-morning on weekends, when Nakamise-dori becomes very crowded; the temple draws over 30 million visitors a year, so early mornings before 8:00 are noticeably quieter. Visitors also sometimes miss that the five-story pagoda and Asakusa Shrine next door are separate, free structures worth a short detour.

At Meiji Jingu, a common mistake is not carrying cash, since the Inner Garden's 500 yen fee and the Museum's 1,000 yen fee are collected at their own gates rather than online. Visitors should also check seasonal hours, since the Inner Garden closes at 16:00 instead of 16:30 between November and February.

How is this ranking computed?

Historical significance and age: 20%
Atmosphere and setting: 20%
Cost and practical logistics: 15%
Accessibility and transit: 15%
Annual visitor volume / popularity: 15%
Variety of on-site experiences: 15%

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