And so we have come to my favorite among the many Kyoto attractions we visited during our short stopover in Japan’s old capital: the Fushimi Inari Taisha (Shrine). I loved it so much that I am devoting more than one post for it. Yes, because it turns out I took so many pictures, and I didn’t want them to go unshared! It’d be such a waste, don’t you agree?
You can say that we saved the best for last. We had this one last morning to spend in Kyoto before getting on the shinkansen to Nagoya (for the CNBlue WAVE Tour concert we’re watching later that night, YAY! I posted about the concert, and the one the next evening, in this post.) and we decided to put Fushimi Inari for that whole morning.
So we checked out real early from the hostel we were staying at near the Gion area and, with our luggage in tow, we took the subway to Kyoto Station. There, we stowed our luggage in some of their coin lockers, and proceeded to take the JR Nara Line to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Station.
It was still a little after 8am when we arrived, and we (again) followed the small crowd that is headed towards one direction. It was a bit of a walk, but it was a fascinating walk, since you’ll pass by narrow streets lined with quaint houses that are actually stores selling food and souvenirs. Some were even cafes and restaurants which, at the time, weren’t open yet.
Even if you are not sure where you are headed, those torii gates will easily guide you. Tip: when going to a shrine or temple, follow these gates. 🙂
You will then cross a short bridge and come upon a length of wood where smaller wooden strips were hung. I don’t really know what it’s for, but from the characters engraved on the strips, I am guessing it is something significant. And it was also on the path leading to the Shrine, so that is another point in its favor.
On the final run up to the main entrance of the shrine, we passed by food stalls that were beginning to set up shop. It was with some excitement that I noted what they were selling; ya noe, just in case I’ll feel hungry when we leave later on, and want some nourishment. We saw stalls with signs that indicate they are selling dango, taiyaki, takoyaki, and…. taiyaki parfait. Yep.
But we will talk about that in a later post. For now, let us concentrate on the shrine itself, yeah?
So, as you can see from the pic below, this Shrine is yet another one of those with urban sights right on its doorstep. I love how you are in a modern setting one minute and then, enter past a gate and it seems as though you are in another era. Check out the main torii of the shrine below.
Normally, you’d find lots of people already, but as I mentioned before, we were early, so we were among the first ones there. That’s actually another good tip if you want to visit Fushimi Inari: go there early to avoid the crowd. And trust me, it could get crowded, and you absolutely do not want to be in a parade of people later. You’ll see why.
As usual, there is a place for washing your hands and mouth before entering and, apart from the one at Meiji Shrine, I did not really spot clear instructions (in English, I mean) on how to go about it. (Or maybe the other places had one, and I just didn’t spot them.) The instructions here are very, very clear.
So here is how to use the washing water in Japanese shrines and temples:
- Scoop water using the wooden ladle with your right hand, and wash your left hand first.
- Wash your right hand.
- With the ladle in your right hand, pour water on your left palm and use that water to rinse your mouth. NEVER drink directly from the ladle, or touch your lips directly to the ladle.
- With water still on the ladle, hold it straight up so the water is poured down on the handle. This is to wash the ladle.
- Return the ladle to its position, which is face-down.
Now it’s time to step inside the Shrine grounds.
Fushimi Inari Taisha is considered by most to be the most important shrine in all of Kyoto, and it is located in the southern part of the prefecture. It is always open and, surprisingly (and pleasantly so, too!), there are no admission fees to be paid. You can just enter when you want to.
This is the main entrance, a two-story gate called the Romon, or the “tower gate”. It is directly facing the main torii (photo posted above).
This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Today, she is also said to be the god of agriculture and business. Well, there are thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari all over Japan, but Fushimi Inari is deemed to be the most important one, perhaps partly because it has a trail that leads up to Mt. Inari, which is a sacred ground for the god.
Did you notice the two guards flanking the main entrance? In other places, you see dogs and lions… this time, they are foxes. This is because the fox is said to be the loyal messenger of Inari. Incidentally, the stone foxes are also called inari. These are not ordinary foxes, by the way. They are the Inari’s messengers, and they are also shape-shifting. Foxes are also known to have the ability to possess people.
Note how the fox (kitsune) on the left holds a key in its mouth. The key is said to be for the rice granary.
By the way, the Romon was donated by warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Once you step through Romon, you will immediately see the Go-honden, or the main building of the shrine. This was said to be built in 1499.
Keep walking to the back and you’ll get to the haiden, or the hall of worship of the shrine. This is where we saw most of the Japanese visitors saying their prayers and petitions.
I also noticed how the foxes have rice grains in their mouths.
And spotted these mini-toriis beside the haiden!
And I just love the details I saw, even the small ones. The lamps, the ceramics, the chrysanthemums…
And now we have arrived at the entrance of the hiking trail that Fushimi Inari is also known for.
Walk up the stairs and you’ll be face to face with this structure which, according to the area map, is called Tamayama inarisha, which houses the divided spirit of Inari herself.
To the right is where the magic begins. Haha!
Lots of young people in school uniforms that time, which again made me wonder if they didn’t have classes… hmmm…
And here’s a photo teaser by the torii of the sight that will welcome you once you continue following the path upwards. It got me all sorts of excited.
Next post: walk with me through the vermillion-colored thousand torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha. See you then!