What a fantastic place - quite the highlight of Tokyo, for me. The wooden temple itself is lovely - very impressive, and a remarkably peaceful place. The surrounding woods are very pleasant too, and the empress's stunning garden is a must-see.

I visited the Meiji Shrine last week (around Nov. 18th) and was struck by the size & beauty of the grounds. Many meticulously groomed plants & trees line the winding walkway to the shrine itself & approaching the building was the most diverse display of chrysanthemums I've seen. I was lucky enough to witness a marriage ceremony & there were children running about in kimonos, contributing to a nearly intoxicating cultural & spiritual experience. The highlight of my visit was seeing the fruit & vegetable offerings from all of the different areas of Japan. My wife was able to locate what I believe were persimmons from her home prefecture of Yamanashi. One tip- when passing through the entry-way of the gate, make sure to step OVER the wooden step in the door frame. Apparently it's bad luck to step ON it.