Founded in 1869 originally has Shôkonsha, or the Shrine for the Invited Spirits, the shrine was renamed Yasukuni in 1879. As an imperial shrine dedicated to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in war for Japan, the entire shrine complex is filled with statues and memorials commemorating various aspects of the war effort, but is also covered in the golden chrysanthemum motif which is the seal of the imperial family. In 1932 there was a collective enshrinement for all those who died in the service of Japan resulting in almost 2.5 million spirits enshrined in one place.
Controversy around the shrine comes from incidents starting in 1970 and 1978, which continue to this day. In 1970 and 1978, there were additional enshrinement of Class A, B, and C War Criminals from the second World War. Things get even more complicated when considering that many times since, the acting Prime Minister of Japan has visited the shrine to pay respects while in the capacity of office, an act which is viewed by some to honor those convicted of war crimes. Things don't get much easier when visiting the war museum at Yasukuni and the clear nationalism of an era, which to some had been stopped too soon.
For the casual and the educated: each experience is different.
I don't know what to tell you readers. Yasukuni Jinja is a difficult place to explain and experience for all the reasons that I mentioned above. Some people go and have a great time, others have come back humbled, while others have left enraged. The shrine is in essence a war memorial to commemorate the lives lost in the name of Japan. In this regard, going to Yasukuni should be no different than going to war memorials in D.C. or anywhere else in the world except that for Japan, so many lives were lost in the monumental defeat which took Japan from the most powerful nation in East Asia to a slum state for the next 20 years. As a Westerner walking around, it felt rather weird walking through a memorial to people whom my grandparents fought. It was fine for me until a group of elderly people came to visit the shrine and they started giving my friend and I glaring looks almost to say, "What the hell are you doing here?" My friend and I from then on spoke in tongues to try and disassociate ourselves from any Allied nation. I encourage caution if you want to visit the museum next door because it is all about the glory of the Japanese Empire and what not. Sure there are some real planes and tanks, but the entire museum store is about remembering what it was like to stand up against the Americans and to control a major part of the world. And yet for all the nationalism, it is critical to remember that though there are some bad eggs enshrined and their contribution to the war is controversial, there are still over 2.5 million people there who are no different from our war veterans. These people fought for what they believed was right and they died doing so, and to that extent they deserve similar respect to our honored dead.
That being said, Yasukuni is gorgeous beyond all belief. Clean wood, gold, copper, and lacquer decorate the shrine. An outdoor area for sumo and one of the most acclaimed gardens in Japan. Again, visiting Yasukuni Jinja is really up to the viewer because it has such a dark background shrouded in amazing art. A walk down the main drag reminds visitors that this shrine really is devoted to people who lost their lives doing what they felt was right; people hoping that their actions were going to save lives back home.
