Yasukuni Shrine (Tokyo)

 shrine, shinto / shintoism, shinto shrine, war memorial

The Yasukuni Shrine was constructed in 1869 to remember those who died in the Boshin Civil War of 1867-68. Since then, it has been dedicated to all of those who have lost their lives in war for Japan. More than two million soldiers are enshrined here, of all ranks and from many different conflicts. Huge controversy surrounds the shrine, however, as this number includes around 1,000 convicted war criminals, including 14 designated "Class A", the commanders who orchestrated some of the most horrific Japanese atrocities in World War 2.

Since those 14 men were enshrined here, Yasukuni has become as symbol to some of Japanese militarism, nationalism and revisionism, and the flames of bad will have only been fanned by numerous official visits to the shrine by Japanese heads of state. This negative image is not helped by the contents of the shrine's attached history museum, which portrays Japanese actions in WW2 in an unapologetic, almost heroic light, and which many have found highly offensive.

Lost in the centre of this whirlwind of conroversy, though, is a fine Shinto shrine set in beautiful gardens whose original purpose as a place of contemplation remains clear.