Hiking the Fushimi Inari-Taisha mountain trail
September 23, 2021
Fushimi Inari-taisha (伏見稲荷) is one of the most famous shrines in not only Kyoto, but Japan itself. It is a shrine with one difference in particular setting it apart from most of the others: an entire day is required to experience all of its wonders.
Situated in Fushimi-ku (伏見区) in southern Kyoto, this ancient Shinto shrine was founded in the year 717 in dedication to Inari - the Shinto god of rice - and serves as the head shrine for almost 40,000 other Inari shrines scattered across Japan. Inari shrines exist in such numbers due to rice traditionally being such an important commodity in Japan, and Inari was believed to provide protection for rice fields and to give farmers a plentiful harvest each year. As such, these shrines have always attracted businessmen and women, as “having good crops” results in - and symbolically represents - a good income.
To visit the various Fushimi-Inari shrines, you have to pass through the path of 10,000 red torii (鳥居) gates that weave their way up to the top of Mount Inari (稲荷山) through a thick forest. The torii serve as entrances to sacred shrines in the Shinto religion, and along the Fushimi-Inari trail there are five shrines sprawled across a relatively vast area. With such a dazzling array of shrines and gates, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most visited sites in Kyoto. Furthermore, it’s ranked as the number one place to visit in Kyoto on TripAdvisor, and has also been selected as the best landmark in Japan.
Even those who have never actually been to the shrine may still find it familiar, as it was featured in Memoirs of a Geisha in a scene involving a young girl running through the red torii gates. Sometimes visitors can be spotted replicating the girl’s run along the path.
Getting there only takes a two-stop, five-minute train ride from Kyoto Station (京都駅) to Inari Station (稲荷駅) on the JR Nara Line (JR奈良線), and the entrance of the shrine is practically opposite the station.
Before embarking on your journey to Fushimi-Inari - especially during the summer months - it is highly recommended to stock up on bottled water beforehand, as the long, hot trek in the Kyoto humidity can require near-constant rehydration. There are vending machines along the trail, but these can be expensive and having an extra bottle or two can save you time, money, and energy. It would also be best to bring sturdy hiking boots or sneakers, as this will help you to maintain comfort throughout your walk.
At the entrance of the shrine, you’ll pass under a huge red torii gate, and from that point on you will notice the same orange-red shade being prevalent throughout the site. From the exterior of the shrine’s main building to the other auxiliary buildings, the area is bathed in vermilion. This color is used to represent the sun, and it actually seemed to add about 20 degrees to the already hot temperature the day I visited.
The famous trail lies behind the main shrine. At the entrance, you are faced with two sets of tightly packed tori gates, separated only by a few centimeters. The same pattern continues for the length of the trail, and depending on the angle from which it is viewed it seems to go on forever. It felt incredibly tranquil walking through this red tunnel, which apparently serves to protect visitors from the unseen creatures in the surrounding forest.
You don’t need to look closely to notice the inscriptions on the pillars of each individual torii. Each gate on the trail has been donated by an individual or corporation, and the donor’s name is inscribed on the gate in black. Costs for the donations range from 400,000 yen (approx. $4000US) for smaller gates to 1 million yen (approx. $10,000US) for the larger ones. Tourists on a tighter budget can donate tiny gates for as little as 2500 yen (approx. $25US), which can be placed around the smaller minor shrines along the trail.
Donating a torii gate carries on the Shinto tradition of offering thanks and prayers to Inari in exchange for good luck and prosperity in one’s business. The concepts of “money” and “business” are prevalent themes throughout the walk, signified by the large number of fox statues you’ll spot near the shrines. The fox was traditionally believed to be a servant to the god Inari, and in Japan, foxes have long been known as symbols of business - their cunning nature perfectly suiting the cut-throat business world. Foxes are said to regularly deliver an abundance of rice to Inari, keeping him happy and prosperous.
These statues appear mainly at the end of the trail, which is approximately four kilometers long and takes around two to three hours to complete, depending on your walking speed. If you get tired along the way, you can return back to the entrance whenever you like.
For many, this trail can seem daunting, and I saw many people stopping to catch their breath along the way. Luckily, there are some seating areas in proximity to the smaller shrines along the trail, so visitors are almost never far from a place to rest and recover.
About halfway up the mountain, there is the Yotsutsuji (四つ辻) intersection, which breaks up the trail and provides a number of benches for people to rest their feet while enjoying the wonderful panoramic views of southern Kyoto. Here, the trail splits into two separate routes, both of which lead to the summit - however one is steeper and will get you there faster. However, the more pedestrian-friendly path provides a number of opportunities to view even more shrines.
With the depleted crowds near the top of the mountain, it was strange not to hear any murmuring chatter. Instead, all I could hear were the sounds of nature. It was incredibly peaceful, but also eerie as a number of fox statues were positioned along the trail, silently watching me. I felt like a trespasser. Perhaps I needed to make a donation of a massive torii in order to soften their dispositions.
After two hours, I arrived at the peak and literally felt like I was on top of the world. With little else to do besides taking a photograph or two, I began the long descent back down the mountain, using an alternate path which bypasses the torii-lined trail, thus cutting down my return the time somewhat.
Admission to both the shrine and mountain trail is absolutely free, so you’ll only need to pay for food and drink while visiting. It’s also open 24 hours a day, so you can experience the trail during peak tourist hours or in the dead of night. Whenever you choose to visit, Fushimi-Inari is sure to provide a wonderful experience. Beauty and nature fills the heart and replenishes the soul