Fushimi Inari, a Shinto temple in Kyoto, is famed across the globe for its 10,000 bright red Torii gates. Fushimi Inari has become a ubiquitous sight on social media and search engines like Instagram and Google due to its association with Japan. To put it simply, this is the biggest and most important of the the more than a thousand temples to Inari, the Shinto God of Rice. Mount Inari’s Torii gates have been around since the year 711 AD, or so the conventional wisdom goes.
The gates protect 4 kilometres of winding paths through dense forest on the way to the summit of Mount Inari. Different individuals within the gates, but they are all painted the same bright vermillion with black letters. My first, naïve guess was that the black symbols represented prayers, but the truth is far more nuanced and interesting. There is a minimum fee of 400,000 yen for the gates, although many of them are far more expensive than that.
Torii gates line the mountainside because local Japanese companies believe that doing so would bring them luck. Over many hundreds of years, the gates have been provided as a gesture of gratitude for past wealth and hope for future growth. A company’s name that contributed a gate to the Fushimi Inari Shrine is written in black letters on the gate. Donations of Torii gates continue to this day, giving visitors to Fushimi Inari a sense of being immersed in an ever-evolving past.
Fushimi Inari’s main entrance is marked with a massive shrine. This massive structure, known as Romon Gate, was donated to the Fushimi Inari shrine back in 1589. Just a few steps farther back lies the honden, the shrine’s main hall. This first section is naturally rather crowded.
In order to access the start of the Torii gate route, one must first ascend behind the honden. You can’t possibly get lost if you only follow the herd. The first step is a pair of Senbon Torii, or gates. In this area, there are more torii gates per square foot than anywhere else, making for a very breathtaking sight.
This section of the path is often the busiest since it is the starting point. The higher you get up the slope, the less people there are, until the Torii route is completely deserted. Spend some time taking in the vibrant energy of Senbon Torii and marvelling at its stunning beauty.
All of the trails on Mount Inari, which span 4 kilometres in length, take somewhat different paths to the same destinations. The number of Torii gates varies with the seasons, and at times there are large gaps through which breathtaking vistas of the surrounding valleys and forests may be seen. Strolling through the many temples and teahouses that dot the streets is a nice change of pace.
After a half-hour climb, you’ll reach Yotsutsuji, an intersection with stunning views of Kyoto and a number of cafes where you can relax with a cup of tea while taking in the sights. Usually, here is where hikers turn around, but I think you should carry on. The stroll after Yotsutsuji is where you’ll find the quiet you need to reflect on the importance of Fushimi Inari. This is the best portion of the trek, with birds singing in the background, residents praying at the shrines, and the fresh mountain air.
After a little over an hour, you’ll have made it to the peak of Mount Inari. A massive stone structure adorned with hundreds of tiny, colourfully painted Torii gates represents this temple. It’s a lovely and serene way to celebrate getting over the toughest portion of the journey.
Once you reach the peak of Mount Inari, the rest of the journey is downhill and much simpler. You can break off and go down via streets instead of the highly crowded Torii gate trails again sometime around the halfway point. We can all agree that this is the most tranquil and expedient option.
Even though the signs suggest it will take 4 hours to walk there and back, that’s being quite kind. Despite making several picture stops along the way, we finished the hike in under two hours (my bad). The Shrine is available whenever you like due to its 24-hour availability. The dawn and sunset hours are some of the most beautiful and eerie times to visit.
THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- It is known by the names Fushimi Inari and Fushimi Inari-Taisha.
- 68 Yabunouchi-ch, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku
- No money is required to enter.
- Hike Time/Distance: 4 km / 1-2 hours
- Open Around the Clock
Why is Fushimi Inari famous?
It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.