Excursion – Tokyo Serenity

To resist getting sucked into the wave of Tokyo’s hyperactive metropolis could be considered an impossible feat. However, choosing to visit a select number of temples around the city can offer a rare glimpse into the serene nature of Japanese culture. Shinto and Buddhist temples are fundamental elements within Tokyo’s landscape that add a deep richness and complexity to its history and architectural identity. On this excursion, learn how to position your lens to capture the intricate features of these ancient structures. Observe the mood and rituals of the shrine-goers, while naturally building a relationship with your camera and the peaceful surroundings.

Start the excursion at Akasaka-Mitsuke station to visit Hie Shrine, right in the hub of Tokyo’s busiest business district, Akasaka. As if to better establish itself as Japan’s most urban shrine, Hie Shrine has an escalator that escorts guest to the top of the steep hill that it sits on. All the same, it still contains the typical ingredients that make up the exterior of a Shinto Japanese shrine, such as the iconic red “torri” gates, purification fountains, and several stone monkeys guarding the perimeter.

We will end big by heading next to Tokyo’s most elaborate shrines, Sensoji, in the heart of Asakusa. Boasting almost one and a half millennium of history, Sensoji’s Kaminarimon Gate serves as one of Tokyo’s most well-known landmarks. Float along the Nakamise shopping street and take in the colorful shops selling yukata, Japanese sweets, and savory rice crackers. Learn about the intricate century-old history of Sensoji, while allowing your lens to observe the range of activity surrounding the shrine, involving incense burning, shrine-goers delivering quiet prayers for good fortune, and the architectural grandeur of the different temples.