A little Japanese boy can be seen dressed-up in Japan's imperial military uniform at the Yasukuni Shrine. He was visiting the Yasukuni Shrine march, which honours wartime leaders convicted by an Allied tribunal as war criminals, along with millions of war dead, on the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two:
Visitors release doves at Yasukuni Shrine on the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two. The shrine honours wartime leaders convicted as war criminals, along with millions of war dead:
A woman wearing a Japanese army cap and carrying a banner saying 'kamikaze', a word used to describe suicide attacks by Japanese pilots during World War Two, visits the Yasukuni Shrine on the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two. The Yasukuni Shrine honours wartime leaders convicted by an Allied tribunal as war criminals, along with millions of war dead:
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, right, leaves after delivering a speech as Emperor Akihito, left, and Empress Michiko look on in the background during a memorial service for the nation's war dead at the Budokan martial arts hall, marking the 62nd anniversary of the end of World War II:
About Yasukuni Shrine
The origin of Yasukuni Shrine is Shokonsha established at Kudan in Tokyo in the second year of the Meiji era (1869) by the will of the Emperor Meiji. In 1879, it was renamed Yasukuni Shrine.
When the Emperor Meiji visited Tokyo Shokonsha for the first time on January 27 in 1874, he composed a poem; "I assure those of you who fought and died for your country that your names will live forever at this shrine in Musashino". As can be seen in this poem, Yasukuni Shrine was established to commemorate and honor the achievement of those who dedicated their precious lives for their country. The name "Yasukuni," given by the Emperor Meiji represents wishes for preserving peace of the nation.
Currently, more than 2,466,000 divinities are enshrined here at Yasukuni Shrine. These are souls of men who made ultimate sacrifice for their nation since 1853 during national crisis such as the Boshin War, the Seinan War, the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars, World War I, the Manchurian Incident, the China Incident and the Greater East Asian War (World War II). These people, regardless of their rank or social standing, are considered to be completely equal and worshipped as venerable divinities of Yasukuni.
Japanese people believe that their respect to and awe of the deceased is best expressed by treating the dead in the same manner as they were alive. Hence, at Yasukuni Shrine, rituals to offer meals and to dedicate words of appreciation to the dead are repeated every day. And, twice every year－in the spring and autumn－major rituals are conducted, on which occasion offerings from His Majesty the Emperor are dedicated to them, and also attended by members of the imperial family.
Thus, Yasukuni Shrine has deep relationship with the Japanese imperial family. Also, five million people visit the shrine every year since it is known as a central institution for commemorating those who died in wars.
Japan still maintains the culture and tradition of respecting and worshipping the deceased. The Japanese have long believed that spirits of the deceased remain eternally on earth and guard their descendants. Even in today�s Japan，people consider their ancestors as their �guardian deities,� and thus as an object of worshipping because such traditional way of thinking along with the belief of Shinto is still inherited.
In addition to this, Japanese people have respected and worshipped spirits of those who made prominent contribution to regional and national communities－not only to family communities as such. Yasukuni Shrine is an example which represents such genuine Japanese culture.
Yasukuni Shrine is a place to commemorate in a manner of Shinto, a traditional Japanese faith and a place for all the Japanese to show their appreciation and respect to those who died to protect their country. The spirits of these deceased are the object of worship at Yasukuni Shrine. Therefore, the shrine has completely different nature from that of tombs where bodies or bones of fallen soldiers are buried.
More at Japan's Vasukuni Shrine March -&- Yasukuni Shrine
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