Construction began in 1915 under Itō Chūta, and the shrine was built in the traditional nagare-zukuri style, using primarily Japanese cypress and copper.

The building of the shrine was a national project, mobilizing youth groups and other civic associations from throughout Japan, who contributed labor and funding.

[8] In November 2024, a 65 year old tourist from America was arrested for property damage after he carved the letters of his last name into one of the shrine’s wooden torii gates with his fingernails.

This area is covered by an evergreen forest that consists of 120,000 trees of 365 different species, which were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established.

The Gaien is the outer precinct, which includes the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery that houses a collection of 80 large murals illustrative of the events in the lives of the Emperor and his consort.

In September 2023, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a UNESCO advisory body, warned of 'irreversible destruction of cultural heritage' if the project, which will result in the loss of 3,000 trees and open park space, is allowed to be completed.