On a trip to Japan last October I visited the Fushimi Inari temple in Kyoto. A big banner at the entrance proudly proclaimed that it was the most-popular site with foreign visitors for 2 or 3 years running according to Trip Advisor. The number of visitors on that weekday was testament to this claim, however, the site is very extensive, and probably a majority of tourists don't actually make it all the way to the top of the mountain, so don't be put off. It is very accessible from the Kyoto train station (Kyoto-Eki in Japanese), just 2 or three quick stops by a local JR train. Then it's a quick walk across the street to the entrance.
Fushimi Inari is probably most well-known for its vermillion-colored "tori" (Shinto gates) which line the pathway to the summit of the mountain. Each tori actually represents a donation to the shrine, mostly from businesses; a key principle of the shrine is to implore the good favor of the gods for the success of one's business. Early on this was particularly the business of growing rice, and a feature of the place is the many statues and images of foxes which hold a key to the rice granary in their mouths. It is believed that the fox intercedes between the businessman or woman and the gods.
Anyhow, please visit it you get a chance, and be sure to climb the entire way to the top. I saw many "obaachan" (grandmothers) making their way all the way to the top, so if they can do it, you can do it! Allow yourself a couple of hours for your visit.
I posted a few of the photos I took at Fushimi Inari Taisha to my Facebook page, which you can visit here:
Photos of Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto, Japan
As an Amazon Associate and Google Adsense publisher, I earn from qualifying purchases and ads
January 18, 2016
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Visit my Store at Redbubble
Search
Featured Post
Capturing Serenity: Dive into the Mystical World of the Pale Blue Iris
Welcome to my enchanted garden, where each petal tells a story and every bloom whispers secrets of serenity. I invite you to embark on a jou...

Most-Popular Posts in the Last 7 Days
-
Ah, the ever-evolving landscape of technology and its impact on our lives. Remember when "The Digital Divide" was all the buzz? It...
-
Male Nude Gallery I have just published a series of artistic black and white male nude photographs . I hope you like them. ...
-
The pond in the gardens at the Huntington Library is a peaceful place to stop and rest for a bit and idly watch the koi moving slowly throug...
-
Nutcracker Figures (c) John Corney 2010 Time for a little Christmas art. A couple of the Nutcracker characters stand at attention o...
-
Here's another photo contest I just entered and which you might like to enter too. The deadline is July 20th, 2009. The contest is being...
-
I have finally finished selecting and submitting my entries for this year's National Wildlife Federation photo contest. I submitte...
-
My little old lady let's nothing get in her way. No glass ceiling is too high nor too thick to break through! Now she's taken up ska...
-
This young man was preparing with his friends for his moment of fame on the stage at the Samoan Village at the Polynesian dance festival cal...
-
Pink Bromeliad (aechmea fasciata) This beautiful bromeliad is flowering in a pot on my patio at the moment. I guess it must like my ga...
-
I've started working on a collection of Christmas-themed artwork and merchandise for my store at Redbubble. Please take a moment to tak...
No comments:
Post a Comment