Page 92

Syonan Jinja

There used to be a magnificient Japanese Shinto shrine in Singapore.  The Syonan Jinja was a splendid Shinto Shrine erected in 1942 during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore.  ‘Syonan’ was the Japanese name given to Singapore and meant “Light of the South”.  ‘Jinja’ meant ‘shrine’.

The shrine was built on a small hill overlooking the waters of MacRitchie Reservoir.  Today, only the wash-basin and the stairs leading to the shrine, made of granite, can be seen.  A plaque describing the site can be seen at the junction of Lornie Road and Sime Road (the road leading to the Singapore Island Country Club).

Advertisement