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.
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Yesterday morning, I completed the second non-solo ascent of my 100 Summits Project: Mount Inari (Fushimi Inari Taisha) in Kyoto. The day before, I traveled from Tokyo to Kyoto via shinkansen (bullet train) with my mother, stepdad, and family friends Laurie and Kaitlyn Bolland (as well as my son) to begin several days of hiking and R&R in advance of our planned ascent of Mt. Fuji later this week. (While the weather may not cooperate on Fuji, we’re hoping the predicted storms pass by and we get the chance to climb.)
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 moreSub-shrines, restaurants, and teahouses line the slopes of Fushimi Inari Shrine, offering visitors a place to stop and pray, leave offerings, or rest and enjoy a cup of tea or a snack along the way.
Read moreLike many Japanese shrines and temples, Fushimi Inari Taisha, south of Kyoto, has its share of resident cats. Although not numerous, the cats appear to be permanent residents of the shrine, and though some, like this little fellow: seem to live on the mountain itself. That said, unlike most feral cats, the residents of Fushimi Inari seemed eager for human attention. The handsome tuxedo in the photo above followed me along the path, meowing insistently, until I stopped to pet him. A group of visitors gathered behind me, pointing at the cat, and as soon as I left him they moved in
Read more(Click here to start the series from the beginning.) Near the base of Mount Inari (Inariyama), past the stairs that lead from the Hondo (worship hall) to the path that climbs the sacred mountain, lies the famous “Path of a Thousand Torii” – a tunnel made of sacred gates that has become a familiar, iconic image of Japan: At the start of the path, enormous torii tower twenty and thirty feet high, dwarfing visitors. Inside the path, the gates are placed so close together that the light takes on an orange hue:
Read moreFushimi Inari Taisha is one of Kyoto’s loveliest, and most famous, Shintō shrines.
Read moreMany Shintō shrines in Japan have subshrines dedicated to Inari. In fact, the country has more than 10,000 Inari shrines of various sizes. However, Fushimi Inari Taisha, just south of Kyoto, is the largest and most spectacular.
Read moreOne of my favorite aspects of Japan, and Japanese culture, is the constant possibility of discovering something unexpected. If you keep your eyes (and mind) open while traveling in Japan, you will discover a multitude of fascinating things to see, do, eat, and experience, many of which may take you by surprise. While visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha (Shrine) I climbed the path up Mt. Inari, following the pilgrim route to the shrine at the very top of the mountain. Along the way, the “normal path” passes through a variety of stations, sub-shrines and places where visitors can stop to worship or enjoy
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