Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine on New Year's Day 伏見稲荷大社
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Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is near this JR Inari Station on the Nara Line, a 5-min. train ride from Kyoto Station. Also near Fushimi-Inari Station on Keihan Line.
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I visited Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine on Jan. 1, 2010. At the Kyoto City Tourist Info office, I asked which shrine was Kyoto's most popular on New Year's Day. They told me it was this shrine, so I came here.
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Loads of people heading for the shrine, but we progressed quickly enough.
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How it looks from the top of the steps. Hordes of people coming to the shrine to pray for prosperity in the new year.
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This is where you can apply (and pay) to enter the shrine hall for prayers.
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The main shrine hall is the target of all these people.
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Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto. Inch by inch, we crept toward the main shrine on New Year's Day.
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The crowd behind me.
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The crowd behind me.
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Finally, we got in and could pull these ropes to ring the bell to get the attention of the god of wealth.
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All you hear are these bells ringing overhead.
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The fox is the god's messenger at the Inari Shrine.
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People lining up to enter inside the shrine hall for more personalized prayers.
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Lucky charms for sale. Make no doubt, religion is big business in Japan. They are in the business of selling hopes and dreams with no money-back guarantee of success nor satisfaction. Only a religion can get away with selling something which may not work.
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2010 is the Year of the Tiger.
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Another shrine.
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Fortune papers
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Tying the omikuji fortune papers.
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More lesser shrines
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Map of the shrine complex, with a hiking trail up the mountain lined with the famous torii gates.
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Entrance to the hiking trail of torii gates, what Fushimi Inari Shrine is famous for.
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Entrance to the hiking trail of torii gates.
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Go left.
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Inside the tunnel of toriis at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, all donated to the shrine by companies.
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Every once in a while along the path of toriis, there is a shrine which you can pray to.
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Votive tablets in the shape of a fox. Write your wishes on it.
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You can also draw your own fox face.
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Continuing up the torii hiking trail. It takes about 90 min. to walk the entire looping trail. You can turn back anytime if it's too hard for you. But it's not a difficult hike.
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Some toriis are old and broke off.
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Gravestone
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View from a lookout point.
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Yotsutsuji station, a major rest point.
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Map showing the torii hiking path.
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There are some steps as well.
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You can buy your own torii and write on it and place it within the shrine.
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This is at the summit of the mountain.
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Fox at Fushimi Inari Shrine.
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Now I'm going down the mountain. You can then see the writings on the back of the toriis. The name of the company and date are written. Of course, donating a torii here is no guarantee for business success. Some of these companies have gone bankrupt.
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You can buy a tray of offerings.
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Unusual fox
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Trying to toss coins through the hole for good luck.
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Way out was crowded.
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Inari Station was not so bad.
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