Ichinomine(Kamisha shinseki) — Attraction in Kyoto

The tourism hotspot and must-go for the famous trail with thousand of red shrine-gates. The bottom of Mount Inari starts with the usual tourist group gathering; some impressive shrine buildings, some shops to get souvenirs and charms and a big street with food stalls to the left. If you are okay with a lot of people and accepted the commercialized ambiente, then you will easily enjoy yourself. The trail itself is long but beautiful. Insider tip: Choose the alternative way to the right to climb the mountain! You will get a calm and wonderful way up the mountain away from all the trouble. It is easier to enjoy the nature here and if you are in luck, you can even witness a shrine maiden chanting some mysterious lyrics up the mountain to please some gods or ask for some heavenly assistance. Arriving at the top you can enjoy some more shrines, nothing special, but still remarkable if you consider their long existence and meaning for the local people. As always the infrastructure makes sure that you will even find here your vending machines to buy something to drink and a place to rest. From the top you can take the regular tourist trail back through all the red gates and will notice the names of the donors on the back of those. To finish this nice trip you can take to street full of food stalls to the station. Here you get every kind of traditional food from takoyaki over dango to okonomiyaki. Of course several kind of sweets and souvenirs are also available to take with you as a nice reminder of this trip. All together a really valuable and nice experience. Beautiful nature, impressive shrines and good food at the end of a long trail - exactly what you would expect from a day trip up the...

Climbing to the summit of Mount Inari in Kyoto holds both spiritual and cultural significance. Mount Inari is home to Fushimi Inari Taisha, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines, dedicated to Inari, the deity of rice, agriculture, prosperity, and business. The climb represents a spiritual journey, often undertaken by worshippers seeking blessings, offering prayers for success, and expressing gratitude for past fortunes.

The trail to the summit is famously lined with thousands of vermilion torii gates, donated by individuals and businesses in hopes of receiving prosperity and good fortune. Each gate represents a prayer or wish, creating a symbolic passage through which climbers seek purification and renewal.

For many, reaching the summit is a personal achievement and a way to honour tradition. Along the way, climbers encounter smaller shrines, statues of foxes (Inari’s messengers), and scenic views of Kyoto, making the journey both spiritually uplifting and...

Everyone visiting Kyoto should visit this shrine. The shrine path is open from dawn and I would recommend going as early as possible to avoid group tours messing up your priceless photo opportunities. We visited at 8 a.m. and there was a low amount of tourists plus the temperature wasn't bad. The path takes about 2 hours, depending on how many stops you make. It's not too challenging as it's not constantly uphill and varies in steepness. If you're reasonable fit you shouldn't...