Meiji Shrine opens mural exhibition on 14 November

Meiji Shrine (Meiji-jingu) in Tokyo begins the third period of its 2026 mural exhibition on 14 November 2026. The programme, organised by the shrine, presents works connected with the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery through 6 December 2026.

Meiji Shrine opens its final mural period on 14 November

The exhibition is titled Exploring the Gigantic Paintings of the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery and marks the centenary of the Meiji Jingu Gaien outer precinct. Its third period is called Western-trained painters look at Meiji and focuses on the painters’ experience abroad, their work and their connections with one another.

The operator’s exhibition notice confirms that the museum will display six original murals from the picture gallery across the full exhibition, replacing two works at each stage. The third period includes Constitution Promulgation Ceremony by Wada Eisaku and The Battle of Mukden by Kanokogi Takeshiro, alongside other paintings and related works. The official exhibition flyer gives the period as 14 November to 6 December 2026 and names Meiji Jingu as organiser.

Original gallery murals move into the shrine museum

The exhibition brings material from the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery into the museum while the gallery is closed for conservation work. The project also shows preparatory drawings, sketches and works by artists who helped create the gallery’s historical programme.

The picture gallery contains 80 large murals depicting events associated with Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The exhibition’s three-part structure connects the gallery’s centenary with the artists behind those works, while the final period shifts attention from patrons and later painters to artists who travelled overseas. This relationship gives the current museum display a direct link to the outer precinct’s anniversary rather than presenting a separate art event.

The museum opened in 2019 and was designed by architect Kengo Kuma. Its displays cover 3,200 square metres (34,445 sq ft) across two floors and include objects associated with Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, as recorded by the museum information page.

Visiting Meiji Shrine: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The third exhibition period runs from 14 November to 6 December 2026 at the Meiji Jingu Museum inside the shrine precinct.
• The museum is closed on Thursdays, so access to the exhibition changes from the shrine grounds’ daily access.
• The museum is near JR Harajuku Station and Meiji-jingumae Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines.
• The wider shrine grounds are reached through entrances at Harajuku, Yoyogi and Sangubashi, with the main buildings inside the forested precinct.
• Japanese is the official language and the national currency is the yen.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

Searching for Meiji Shrine on social platforms

These links open searches for Meiji Shrine on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Meiji Shrine

When does the mural exhibition take place at Meiji Shrine?

The third period runs from 14 November to 6 December 2026 at the Meiji Jingu Museum in Tokyo.

What is shown in the third exhibition period?

It explores the overseas experiences, work and connections of painters who created murals for the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery.

Where is Meiji Shrine and how do you get there?

The shrine is in Shibuya, Tokyo. The museum is near JR Harajuku Station and Meiji-jingumae Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines.