Nestled in Southern Kyoto, Fushimi Inari shrine is one of the most popular shrines in Japan — with over a whopping ten million locals and tourists visiting each year! The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the God of business and harvest, with many visiting to pray for business prosperity and bountiful harvests.

However, what the shrine is most famous for is its thousands of vermillion-coloured torii gates, which snake along a 5-kilometre trail that leads to the summit of Mt. Inari. 

Each gate is donated by a company or individual; look closely, and you’ll find each donor’s name inscribed on the back of each gate. Each gate costs around JPY400,000 (~SGD4000) for a small one, and gradually increases with size — with a large gate costing over JPY1,000,000 (~SGD10,000)!

Be warned: this is one of Kyoto’s most popular attractions, and can get immensely crowded! The gates are open for the whole day; for a more peaceful experience, visit early in the morning before 8am, or in the evening.

However, as the gates line an inclined path, most visitors usually turn back after the first 15 or 20 minutes. Persevere past that, and you’ll be able to enjoy the gates all to yourselves.

About 40 minutes in, you’ll come to the halfway point where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Kyoto. If you’ve watched the 2005 film ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, you’ll also recognise the gates in one of the scenes.

Once you've reached the summit, the gates down go through a lush forest. This was our favourite part of the route!

Along the way, you’ll come across many fox statues. Foxes are considered to be the messengers of God Inari. The foxes are often depicted to be holding something in their mouths, such as a key to the granary, or a sheaf of rice.

If you wish to climb all the way to the summit of Mt. Inari, set aside around 2 hours to reach the top. The whole route should take you around 3 to 4 hours, inclusive of plenty of photo-taking.

How to get to Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine can be reached via a 5-minute train ride from Kyoto Station to Inari Station.