Author of the Hiro Hattori (Shinobi) mysteries
Fushimi Inari Taisha winds up the slopes of Mt. Inari like a coiled dragon made of vermilion gates; while many visitors go no farther than the first station, Mom, Laurie, Kaitlyn, and I made the hour-long trek to the summit, as a “training climb” that would let me assess our potential pace for the upcoming (and far longer) climb of Fuji.
Read moreThe walk to the summit of Inariyama (Mount Inari) takes between 45 minutes and 2 hours, depending on your personal fitness, pace, and whether or not you choose to stop for lunch or tea along the way.
Read moreNumerous sub-shrines line the slopes of Fushimi Inari Shrine, many with teahouses and restauarants as well as shrines, offering visitors a chance to stop for rest and refreshment as well as offerings and prayers.
Read moreThis week marks the final installment in my blogging “tour” of Fushimi Inari Shrine, which means today, we finally reach the summit.
Read moreThe climb up Mount Inari takes 1-3 hours, depending how quickly you take the stairs and whether or not you stop for lunch at one of the 19 “stations” interspersed along the roughly circular route.
Read more(This blog picks up where last week’s tour of Fushimi Inari left off. To start at the beginning, click here.) Fushimi Inari’s primary altar stands just past the massive entry gates. Although the shrine has many altars – large ones as well as lesser ones (some dedicated to Inari and others to different kami, though most of them are Inari’s since it’s Inari’s sacred mountain). Behind the main altar, and to the left, stands the first and widest of the many staircases that lead visitors up the sacred mountain. Three sub-shrines with collection boxes sit at the top of the first large staircase, along with
Read moreEstimates place the total number of Inari shrines in Japan at over 10,000 – but the largest and most important is Fushimi Inari Taisha, just south of Kyoto.
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