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food travel

Japan: Fushimi Inari Shrine

 

inari (4 of 20)My favorite place in Kyoto is the Fushimi Inari Shrine — the most popular shrine dedicated to Inari (Shinto god of rice).  Stone fox status can be found everywhere as they are Inari’s messengers.

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But what stands out the most are the thousands of orange/black torii gates.  These gates are funded by donations from individuals and companies.  The donations starts around $3,000 for a small sized gate and increases to over $8,000 for a large gate.  For what they had to pay, it is quite surprising visitors don’t have to pay a single yen to enter!  🙂inari (10 of 20)

The hike up to the top took us around 2 hours, which was not a short hike at all!  Make sure you take your time and wear good shoes! Most tourists turn back after 30 minutes.inari (3 of 20)inari (8 of 20)inari (15 of 20)inari (19 of 20)inari (11 of 20)inari (13 of 20)inari (17 of 20)inari (18 of 20)

At the top of the trail loop, we were greeted with a view of Kyoto!

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Hungry Cactus’ verdict: A

There is a reason Fushimi Inari Shrine is a must visit attraction in Kyoto (#1 on tripadvisor!).  It is completely free, always open (yes, you can go at night!), beautiful torii gates and a good half day hike to burn off all the calories from previous meals.  Enjoy! 🙂