Fushimi Inari Taisha Sembon Torii photo album part 1

Fushimi Inari Taisha Sembon Torii (English: Thousand Torii Gates) Japanese: 伏見稲荷大社) is the head shrine of the KamiInari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.

The shrine sits at the base of a mountain and includes 4 km trails up the mountain and takes roughly 2 to 3 hours to hike up. So be prepared to hike up many many steps and do wear comfortable shoes to challenge the hike.

There are approximately 10,000 torii gates which was each donated by a Japanese business. The Tori gates are open 24 hours to public, and the main shrine hall, Honden (Japanese : 本殿）itself illuminated all night.

You can get to the shrine by taking the JR Nara Line from Kyoto station and get off at the Inari Station. From Inari station, you just walk 2 minutes to reach the entrance of the shrine. There is no entrance fee to visit the shrine and the Tori gates.

Don’t be too eager and anxious to take photos at the entrance cause it is constantly crowded with people. You can never take great solo pictures at the entrance. So if you want to take astonishing photos or marvelous selfies then you hike up to a higher point or walk pass the second sets of torri gates where the crowds have thinned out.

When we visited the torii gates, fox statues and the surrounding forest in the early morning sunrise, we felt as if we have entered into a serene dreamland (without many people around us).

Anyway, we woke up very early and took a taxi from our hotel (next to Tokyo station) to the Torii gates at 6am. It was only a 9-10 minutes taxi ride. We thought we should be early enough to avoid the crowds and catch a glimpse of sunrise peacefully. We were wrong! There were still other people think alike and arrived at this early hour too! Thank goodness it was not anywhere close to what we saw from social media photos (huge crowds of people rubbing shoulders against each other and trying to take selfies or photos of the Torii gates)

Anyway, a visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine is a phenomenal and awe-inspiring experience. We find that The Fushimi Inari Shrine offers us a n opportunity to learn and appreciate Japanese cultural history and otherworldliness. Walking along the path of shrines and Tori gates is wondrous and serene. We feel that the bright red torii gates create an enchanting backdrop for a unique yet tranquil adventure.

Fushimi Inari Shrine is known as one of the top “must-visit” attractions in Kyoto. The mix of extraordinary optics and placid atmosphere makes the Inari Shrine a remarkable yet memorable experience.

We did not hike up the mountain cause we had a very tight and busy schedule ahead on that day. We finished our walk at around 8am. We were disappointed that we did not have a chance to try some street food such as grilled dango and tea at Nanakorobiyaoki (3 mins walk from Fushimi). The street food stalls usually open at around 10-11am! Also we did not even have time for a hearty breakfast at the nearby Vermillion Cafe (a tree-ringed cafe overlooking a pond and it opens at 830am!)

Anyway we had an awesome visit and took plenty of memorable photos and short videos.

Recommend to go either early morning or at night to avoid crowds. Or hike up to the top if you arrive after the early morning hours or at the busy peak hours.