The Shinto gate, which is usually open, was closed tightly on this day

Second torii gate and the Shinto gate at Yasukuni Shrine — Shinmon Gate of Yasukuni Shrine

I thought that Shinto shrines and hotels do not have closing days, but it seems not so. When I came to Yasukuni Jinja Shrine after a long time, the gate was closed tightly. Normally I can see the main shrine through the gate, but on this day I could only see the large chrysanthemum crest attached to the door of the gate.

And it wasn't just the gate that was closed. A barricade was set up in front of the second torii gate, making it impossible to even approach the gate. The barricade was flanked by uniformed police officers or riot police, and it looked as if I would be arrested at any moment if I tried to cross the barricade.

Perhaps the reason why the doors were closed that day was because of the Emperor's Birthday Celebration, which was scheduled to take place a few days later. I didn't know the real reason, but as I had only seen the Shinto gate open, the sight of the closed gate with the golden chrysanthemum emblem in the foreground was very refreshing.

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