Yasukuni shrine & Yushukan

Yasukuni shrine & Yushukan museum - darkometer rating : 5 - The infamous Tokyo Shinto shrine dedicated to Japan 's war heroes, up to and including WWII , and some of its convicted war criminals (that's the controversial bit!!) . China and Korea in particular have severe issues with this place, as the Japanese military's despicable behaviour in those countries, especially the Nanjing massacre, is given a very twisted portrayal in the museum, and is hardly covered at all. Ever since Japanese prime ministers resumed the practice of visiting the shrine to pay their respects to those "war heroes" with much publicity, this has been echoed esp. in South Korea by angry demonstrations. In Japan , however, there is a strong nationalist faction for whom this place is nothing short of the holy of holies of Japan's past glories and the one place to visit to pay one's respects to those who gave their lives for the country (well, they're nationalists … - it has to be pointed out, though, that there's also strong opposition within Japan against the shrine's role). For the dark tourist it's precisely this controversial nature of the place that makes it interesting, that and those parts of the adjacent museum that deal with the various Kamikaze operations. > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos What there is to see: The shrine area is in part a place of worship, in part a kind of "amusement park". As you enter the site from the main gate, passing under an oversized steel torii gate, the path is lined with fast-food stalls and beer gardens, and you see people happily having a beer or enjoying a snack. As you get closer to the central shrine itself, the atmosphere becomes more sombre.