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Kanda Myojin is more beautiful at night
In September 2020, I went to Kanda Myojin for a night photo session. It’s a beautiful shrine during the day, but more so after the sun goes down. The grounds are dark at night, while some lights illuminate the main gate and parts of the worship hall. Surrounded by darkness, they gained an ethereal look. I was thrilled with the results of my time there.
While photographing, I realized something about shrines. After daily activity ceases, people are still there. Look in the shadows. You can see their shapes. It made me wonder why. A little thought solves this problem.
During the day, the busy Tokyo shrines such as Kanda Myojin are busy places. People go to them to pray and see other people. After all, one of their functions is to be a societal hub. At night, it’s different. Of course, many still come to pray, but many just sit by themselves. I get the feeling they are looking for some solitude.
Tokyo is a big place with an enormous population. If you only talk about its twenty-three wards, it is eight million people. But, if you refer to the Greater Tokyo Area, that’s different. That one includes Kanagawa, Ibaraki, Saitama, and some other prefectures. The United Nations put it at about thirty-eight million in 2016. If you look at its urban population density, it’s over 2000/km². But, in the inner areas, it soars to 8000/km². Whichever figure you take, the numbers are huge. There are many people in this city!
That can make it hard to find your personal space here. Even in your own home, someone will be near you. Walls can be thin in Tokyo, especially for people with lower incomes or living in older buildings. They can hear what is happening in your apartment. The reverse is true too.
Did you have a hard day at the office or school? Or perhaps have a personal problem? Where do you go to collect your thoughts? Or think things through? Shrines, and temples, provide the perfect place.
Everyone needs some quiet time. There are occasions when you need to sit for a short time. You need to collect your thoughts before heading into the world. Shrines and temples are the perfect places.
By their very nature, they are quiet. No one will approach you. Everyone in Japan has grown up with them; they feel comfortable. They have benches; you have a place to sit. You have your privacy in that most public of places. Many people appear just to sit and think. Some play games, others read, and a few smoke (some smoking areas still exist at some temples and shrines). Every so often, a couple finds a particularly dark corner to chat and hold hands.
What everyone thinks about that, I don’t know, and I won’t ask! They need their privacy. Privacy can be hard to find in Tokyo. Ask anyone who lives here.
Kanda Myojin gets a very high score from me for night photography. In the darkness, it looks very mysterious. It is also the perfect place for people to come and sit and recharge their batteries for a while. Can you spot any of them in these pictures? You’ll need to look hard as these are all long exposures, so most people disappeared.
If you want to photograph Kanda Myojin at night, the lights are on until 11 p.m. You can also check out my main article about the shrine here for full details. If you have questions or comments, please leave them down below.
External related websites:
- Kanda Myojin (official website)