Fushimi Inari Taisha
Thousands of red torii gates forming a path up the mountain
Being there
Arrive before eight when the torii tunnels are still empty. Turn back at the Yotsutsuji viewpoint; the round trip takes about an hour and a half.
- 1Thousands of vermilion torii forming tunnels up the mountain
- 2The higher you go, the fewer people — just stone foxes and birdsong
- 3The Yotsutsuji viewpoint looks out over southern Kyoto
Before you go
- Arrive before eight, when the tunnels are nearly empty
- You can turn back at Yotsutsuji — no need to reach the summit
- Each gate's back carries its donor's name and year; read them on the way down
- The first stretch is packed after ten
- It's stone steps all the way — wear proper shoes
The story
The whole of Mount Inari belongs to the shrine. The gates along its paths were donated one by one over centuries by businesses and worshippers, each carved on the back with the donor's name and year. The higher you go the fewer people there are, until it's just gates, stone foxes and birdsong.
