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Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kyoto, Japan

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Information

Uploaded by user:: dominik
Country:: Japan
Regions:: Kyoto
Keywords: temple

Where was this photo taken?

Latitude:: 35°22'43.4"N
Longitude:: 139°21'08.7"E
Date:: 2025-11-29

About this place

Fushimi Inari-taisha is the head Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the deity of rice, sake, fertility, and business prosperity. It is located in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto, situated at the base of Mount Inari, which rises 233 meters above sea level. The shrine complex encompasses not only the main buildings at the foot of the mountain but also an extensive network of trails that lead to the summit, lined with numerous smaller sub-shrines along the way.

Historical Outline

The shrine is one of the oldest and most significant in Kyoto, with its founding dating back to 711 AD, prior to Kyoto becoming the imperial capital of Japan. The earliest structures were established on Inariyama hill, and the shrine was moved to its current location in 816. It grew in prominence over the centuries, receiving imperial patronage early in the Heian period. The current main hall (Honden) was built in 1499, and in 1589, the powerful military leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi donated the impressive main gate. This shrine serves as the head shrine for more than 30,000 other Inari shrines located throughout Japan.

The Torii Gate Trails

The most recognizable feature of Fushimi Inari-taisha is the thousands of vermilion torii gates that form tunnels along the main paths up the mountain. In Japanese Shinto tradition, a torii gate symbolizes the transition from the mundane, physical world to the sacred, spiritual world. The dense, parallel rows of gates, known as Senbon Torii (Thousand Torii), create distinctive covered corridors.

Each of the estimated 10,000 gates has been donated by an individual, family, or company as a votive offering to express gratitude for past prosperity or to request good fortune for the future. This practice began in the Edo period (1603-1868) and continues to this day. The back of each gate is inscribed with the name of the donor and the date of the donation. The size and cost of the gates vary, and their number is constantly growing. The total length of the trails that wind through the gates to the summit is approximately 4 kilometers.