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Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine was my favourite place in Kyoto. It’s absolutely stunning, and unlike anywhere else!

As you’ll know if you read my previous Kyoto blog post, I wasn’t keen on visiting temples and shrines all day long. However, even if you’re not a shrine fan, Fushimi Inari is an amazing place to visit. It really is completely over the top – there literally are thousands of red tori gates, and it takes several hours to walk through them all. The trail goes up a mountain, with mini shrines and building along the way, and an amazing view of Kyoto .

Looking back now, I wish we’d pushed on and made it to the top. However, the video doesn’t show how humid it was – at the start of October, it was 27°C and 100% humidity (as you can tell from the state of my hair!) which made walking around pretty exhausting. And there are a lot of steps (it’s a mountain after all!). Most people didn’t go past the first section – you can see how much quieter it is once you go past the first main intersection – but I’d highly recommend going at least a little further on to experience walking through the gates without being in a queue of people.

I have so many amazing photos from our visit, and it really is a place like nowhere else.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

When to Go

Fushimi Inari is one of the main tourist attractions in Kyoto, so it’s always going to be busy. It’s quieter early in the morning, but if like me you don’t like getting up early (especially when you’re on holiday), go towards the end of the day. Compared to the UK, it gets dark earlier in Japan, so if you go just before it gets dark, you’ll be able to experience the gates at dusk and see what it’s like at night! A lot of people left when it got dark, and it was so much more atmospheric at night time.

How to Get There

Get the train to Inari Station. It’s on a JR line, so if you have a JR pass the trip is free. It’s not far so the journey’s only 5 minutes. Once you get there, it’s not far to the shrine complex – just follow where everyone else is heading!

More Things to do in Kyoto

Subscribe to Cakes with Faces on YouTube and hit the bell button for notifications to catch my videos from Japan. There’s lots more ideas for things to do in Kyoto and Tokyo coming up, including a day trip to beautiful Miyajima. If you have any questions just get in touch on Facebook or Twitter, or in the YouTube comments!

Fushimi Inari Taisha at night