We visited Fushimi Inari-taisha earlier this year during cherry blossom season. This Shinto shrine, known for its iconic torii gates, offers one of the best opportunities to learn about Shintoism, Japanese history, and experience nature all at once! The bright red torii gates were a fantastical maze up Inari Mountain. We ventured off the main path to find a serene bamboo grove and forest on either side of the trail. The path then broke off into many sub-shrines with waterfalls and hundreds of sculptures of the messenger foxes and even more torii gates – some bright vermilion and some fading from age.
We arrived very early in the morning, around 7:30am and I think this added to the experience. By the time we wound our way back down the mountain, the main paths were jammed with tourists from all over the world! However, the further you venture from these areas, the more rewarded you will be with peaceful clusters of sculpture, torii gates, and Japan’s spectacular natural scenery.
Fushimi Inari-Taisha is very easy to access, sitting just across the street from JR Nara Line Inari Station, which is only 5 miutes from Kyoto Station.
For more info, Japan Guide has a great concise English-language article here:
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