Fushimi Inari Taisha

Towards the end of our week long stay in Kyoto, we ended up having a free day. Mulling over our options, we recalled that a friend of ours mentioned visiting a temple with red gates in Kyoto. We didn’t know anything about the temple beyond that. So, after a restful morning, we decided to go for an afternoon visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha.

Our visit to the Shinto temple turned out to be one of the highlights of the four months we were abroad!

Of the 30,000 (or so) shrines in Japan that are dedicated to Inari, the Shinto God of Rice, Fushimi Inari Taisha is the most important. Legend has it that an aristocrat was practicing his archery in the early 8th century by shooting at rice cakes, when one of the rice cakes transformed into a swan and flew away. The swan eventually landed on a mountaintop, which then miraculously became an abundant rice field. The entire mountain has since been viewed as holy, and a sprawling temple was built there, and enshrined to honor Inari, the God of Rice.

After arriving at the main lower temple, we started climbing up pathways and stairs through hundreds and hundreds of Torii Gates. Torii Gates are vermillion red gateways that are donated by individuals or businesses to symbolize a wish for, or acknowledgement of prayers to Inari. We passed countless personal alters and shrines dating as far back as the early 8th century, to the top of the sacred Mount Inari. We didn’t return to the base of the temple compound until well after dark! The timing and spontaneity of our visit to the site made for a magical experience that only unplanned travel can provide!

Please enjoy some photos from our visit. We’ve included two galleries of photos because there was so much to see!

There are over 10,000 Torii Gates of all sizes along the mountain paths leading to the summit of Mount Inari. The vermillion red pigment (which is made from mercury and red earth) has been used on the buildings and Torii Gates as a preservative since ancient times. The color is considered an amulet against evil forces, but also expresses the bountiful harvests that Inari gives. Texts describe Inari as a deity, “who feeds, clothes and houses us and protects us so that all of us may live with abundance and pleasure” and one, “who protects all people.” The countless fox statues positioned around the shrines are Byakkosan, or “white foxes.” They are the invisible messengers of Inari and are regarded as protectors of the rice fields.