21st Century Necromancer-Chapter 670 - 666 Meiji Shrine (Please Subscribe, Request for Monthly Tickets)
The Meiji Shrine was established by the Japanese Imperial Family at the time to worship Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.
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Located in the heart of Tokyo, the Shrine is a 70-hectare green space. In a city as expensive as Tokyo, maintaining such a vast expanse of green space in the city center evidenced the immense strength of the Imperial power after the Meiji Restoration.
Of course, this green space was not a naturally formed forest, but rather the largest existing man-made forest, cultivated from one hundred thousand trees donated by people from all over Japan after the death of Emperor Meiji, which were selected to suit the climate of Tokyo.
Since its completion, the Shrine has seen countless visitors come to worship. According to records, over half a million people visited on the day the Shrine was completed in the Taisho era, and now more than three million people come annually for tourism and worship, making it one of the most popular Shrines in Japan.
Aside from bringing substantial tourism revenue to Tokyo, such a large number of visitors also provided a vast amount of the Power of Faith for worship within the Shrine to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.
As the most accomplished Emperor in the thousand-year history of the Japanese Imperial Family since the Heian Period, Emperor Meiji was indeed a man of great talent and strategy.
In the midst of the internal strife and external threats of the Bakumatsu period, his ability to employ talents such as Okubo Toshimichi, Iwakura Tomomi, and Kido Takayoshi to reform the nation, leading Japan out of a feudal society, avoiding colonization by the powers, and swiftly becoming a capitalist country, thus rapidly strengthening national power, makes his status in the eyes of the Japanese self-evident.
Empress Shoken was not only worshiped here for being Emperor Meiji's consort and Emperor Taisho's mother.
Born into the distinguished court noble family of the Ichijo, Empress Shoken initially received education from the imperial loyalist faction, but after the Meiji Restoration, when she became the Empress, she was very open to adopting the views of the enlightened faction and actively involved herself in social activities, establishing a modern educational system for the Imperial Clan and greatly contributing to the establishment of the Japanese Red Cross Society.
What's even more admirable is that Empress Shoken, who could have become a figure like Empress Dowager Cixi, consciously avoided politics from the beginning to the end, focusing her influence solely on social activities, truly a wise and virtuous Empress.
There's an interesting tale about Empress Shoken. On the eve of the Russo-Japanese War, February 7, 1904, Empress Shoken rested at Hayama Imperial Villa and dreamed of a white-clad samurai in his late thirties pledging to protect the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet.
The startled Empress Shoken recounted her dream to a court attendant, and the Imperial Household Officer Kagawa Keizo declared that it was the spirit of Sakamoto Ryoma manifesting. They rapidly seized upon this supernatural event for widespread propaganda, inspiring the morale of the populace. Thus, Sakamoto Ryoma also officially became the Guardian God of the Japanese Navy.
It was because of such historical achievements that Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, after their deaths, were worshiped at the Meiji Shrine, where they smoothly became ghoul deities, resuming life in another form under the worship of multitudes.
Today, Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, as the greatest foundation of the Japanese Imperial Family, continue to protect Tokyo.
Of course, despite the substantial Power of Faith, Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken's time as deities is still too short, and their Divine Power is limited, and they can only protect Tokyo.
According to the original plan of the Japanese Imperial Family, as long as Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken continue to grow, they will one day become the protective deities of Japan, making the country even stronger.
However, this isn't really anything special for Miketsu no Kami, who even feels somewhat displeased with some of Emperor Meiji's practices from a certain perspective.
But regardless, in order to successfully carry out the plan agreed upon with Chen Yu, His Highness Miketsu personally visited the Meiji Shrine.
When one deity visits another, naturally they do not partake in purifications and offerings like mortals. In fact, as soon as His Highness Miketsu stepped through the Torii gate of the Meiji Shrine, she had already crossed into the divine domain of the Shrine.
The style of the divine domain at the Meiji Shrine was that of the former Imperial Palace from Emperor Meiji's lifetime, which was the same palace destroyed during the Tokyo bombings in World War II.
Looking at the divine domain that still resembled the old Imperial Palace, His Highness Miketsu's gaze was full of disdain. Although Emperor Meiji was known as the Protector God of Tokyo, he was not only powerless to protect Tokyo from the American bombings, but he couldn't even protect his own residence. The Imperial Palace was destroyed, and the Meiji Shrine was burnt down, a most disgraceful outcome.
In fact, on the night of the Great Tokyo Air Raid, nearly sixteen square miles of central Tokyo were destroyed, with about twenty-five percent of buildings—267,171 in total—reduced to rubble.
According to statistics from the Japanese Government at the time, approximately 100,000 people were burned to death in that night's bombings (another estimate is 80,000), and another 100,000 suffered varying degrees of burns. The death toll was even higher than that of Hiroshima later attacked by an atomic bomb.
Therefore, this so-called Protector God of Tokyo was in name only. It was only because there were no wars in recent years, and Tokyo maintained a state of peace, that he has been able to remain in charge of Tokyo at all.
However, since she was there to visit, His Highness Miketsu naturally did not act like an unwelcome guest. After adjusting her expression, she entered Emperor Meiji's palace, greeted by the court attendants.
Inside the palace, Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken naturally came out together to welcome her.
"Welcome, it is an honor for our humble abode to be graced by the presence of His Highness Miketsu of Inari," Empress Shoken said, bowing first as she expressed her welcome.
Although they were the most esteemed people in the country during their lives, with the Imperial Family claiming descent from Amaterasu Ōmikami in an unbroken line, after death they became ghostly deities. Empress Shoken was clearly aware of her own awkward status and the situation, and she did not dare to show any neglect towards His Highness Miketsu, who was considered among the most venerable deities of the entire Japanese Deity system.
In contrast, standing at the side, Emperor Meiji kept up his proud demeanor from life, as if, being the Emperor, he saw no need to bow to anyone.
His Highness Miketsu was indifferent to this attitude and simply said to Emperor Meiji and his consort, "I need to speak with you on a matter, dismiss your attendants."
Seeing His Highness Miketsu's lack of courtesy, Emperor Meiji's face showed a sudden change, but before he could speak, he was held back by his Empress.
Empress Shoken waved her hand, ordering all attendants to withdraw, and then she personally served tea to His Highness Miketsu and asked, "May I inquire what brings His Highness Miketsu here in person?"
"For the future of this country," His Highness Miketsu began, introducing a topic that forced Emperor Meiji and his consort to take seriously.
