On September 12, 2025, I visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. It was my second time there, this time as part of a training program within the stone industry. Walking through the grounds offered insights that far exceeded what I knew from books. While Yasukuni is widely recognized in Japan as a place of remembrance and mourning, in Europe and the United States it is often framed within historical and political contexts, and evaluations are far from uniform.
Origins of Yasukuni Shrine and Those Enshrined
Yasukuni Shrine was established in 1869 by order of Emperor Meiji to honor those who died in the Boshin War. It later became the resting place for soldiers and military personnel who died in subsequent conflicts, including the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, and the Pacific War. To date, approximately 2,466,000 souls are enshrined. Importantly, civilians who perished in air raids or the atomic bombings are not included; only soldiers and those attached to the military are honored.
Perspectives from the West
Yasukuni draws attention in the West from two major angles:
- Historical and political perspectives. Because some of Japan’s wartime leaders and commanders from World War II are also enshrined, visits by Japanese political leaders can spark media debate. This is not simply criticism; it often reflects differences in historical perception. In the United States and the United Kingdom, these differences are frequently linked to broader diplomatic tensions in East Asia, which is why Yasukuni can become a political flashpoint.
- Religious and cultural perspectives. Many visitors and scholars regard Yasukuni as a window into Japan’s unique traditions of mourning the war dead. Comparisons with Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery and studies of remembrance in Shinto have drawn academic interest.
Yasukuni’s Grand Torii and Kitagi Granite
One of the shrine’s most prominent features is the grand torii gate (built in 1933), made from granite quarried on Kitagi Island, Kasaoka City, Okayama. Kitagi is among Japan’s foremost stone-producing islands and has supplied granite for castles, bridges, temples, and shrines nationwide.
Notably, Kitagi stone was also used in:
- Bank of Japan Head Office (construction started 1890)
- Nihonbashi Bridge (completed 1911)
- National Diet Building (construction started 1920)
The choice of Kitagi stone for Yasukuni’s torii was not merely practical; it reflected the selection of a material worthy of a national symbol. Massive blocks were shipped to Tokyo’s Shibaura port and then transported overland to the shrine. Unused blocks—known as zannen-ishi (“regret stones”)—remain on Kitagi Island today, silent witnesses to the project’s scale and craftsmanship.
Beyond Japan, Kitagi granite also appears at World War II battle sites such as Palau Peleliu, where memorial towers were erected to honor the fallen. In this sense, the stone itself connects national symbolism at home with remembrance abroad.
Yasukuni and the Japanese People
For many Japanese, Yasukuni is not about glorifying war; it is about expressing gratitude to those who gave their lives for the nation. Visiting the shrine honors the past and entrusts hopes for peace to the future.
Japan also holds a long-standing cultural belief that “in death, everyone becomes a Buddha.” This idea is rooted not only in doctrine but in everyday tradition. Whether someone died in battle or from illness, they are remembered as Buddha after death. At the same time, Yasukuni enshrines the war dead as kami (deities). These perspectives—Buddha and kami—coexist naturally in Japanese spirituality and are essential to understanding Yasukuni.
As an exporter, I personally long for a world without war: only in peace can people, cultures, and even stone itself transcend borders.
