Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari-taisha is the head shrine of the god Inari, located in Fushimi-ward, in Kyoto city, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari.

Inari was originally and remains primarily the god of rice and agriculture, but merchants and manufacturers also worship Inari as the patron of business. Each of Fushimi Inari-taisha's roughly thousand torii gates were donated by a business in Japan.

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Senbon Torii

The highlight of the shrine is the rows of torii gates, known as Senbon Torii

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The fox

Foxes (kitsune), regarded as the messengers, are often found in Inari shrines.

The main Hall

The main shrine structure was built in 1499.

The Trails

The magical, seemingly unending path of over 1000 vibrant orange torii gates that wind through the hills behind Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine make it one of the most popular shrines in Japan. The walk towards the upper area make it a pleasant day hike. It also makes for a delightfully romantic stroll in the late afternoon and early evening, when the various places for blessings and miniature shrines along the path take on a mysterious atmosphere. Entrance is free and it is open 24 hours a day but gets very busy so arrive very early or quite late to get some great photo opportunities.