Kyoto S · FushimiNo.121★★★Open in map →
Fushimi Inari Taisha
— Kyoto's mountain of torii gates
The head shrine of all Japan's Inari shrines, with trails that climb Mount Inari through corridors of thousands of vermilion torii gates. Free to enter, open at any hour.
Fushimi Inari Taisha stands at the foot of Mount Inari in southern Kyoto, enshrining the Shinto deity of rice, agriculture and prosperity. Behind the main hall, the Senbon Torii — two dense rows of roughly 800 close-set vermilion gates — leads onto mountain paths lined with many more. The whole mountain holds around 10,000 torii in all, donated over the years by businesses and individuals; each gate carries the donor's name. The trail loops about 4 km to the summit and back, with the Yotsutsuji intersection about halfway up opening to a wide view over the city.
Background & history
By tradition the shrine was founded in 711 CE by the Hata clan, an influential immigrant family, before Kyoto became Japan's capital — giving it a history of well over a thousand years. From this original site the worship of Inari spread across the country, and today Fushimi Inari heads a network of many thousands of Inari shrines nationwide. The practice of dedicating torii gates in thanks or petition built up over the centuries into the dense corridors seen today.
What to look for — in walking order
- First torii gate
- the large gate directly in front of Inari Station, marking the start of the approach
- Senbon Torii
- twin rows of roughly 800 close-set vermilion gates behind the main hall
- Yotsutsuji intersection
- a crossroads about halfway up with an open view over Kyoto
- Mount Inari trail
- a wooded loop of about 4 km climbing the 233 m sacred mountain past many smaller shrines
How to enjoy it
The grounds never close and admission is free. Morning is the calmest time to walk: arrive around 6:30, clear the Senbon Torii in the quiet, and reach the Yotsutsuji viewpoint before the day's crowds arrive. Allow two to three hours for the full loop at an unhurried pace.
How to actually get there
- Kyoto Station → Inari Station (JR Nara Line local train, ~5 min, 2 stops).
- From the station exit, walk straight through the first torii gate to the main hall.
- Enter the Senbon Torii tunnel behind the hall and climb toward the Yotsutsuji viewpoint (~30-40 min up).
- JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station
- Kyoto Station →(JR Nara Line local train, ~5 min, 2 stops)→ Inari Station. Total about 5 min, 150 yen. Take a local train; some rapid/express trains skip Inari Station, so check the train type on the platform display. Trains run often (roughly every 10-15 min in the daytime). From the station exit, the first large torii gate is right in front of you.
- same JR Nara Line back to Kyoto
- Return on the JR Nara Line from Inari Station to Kyoto Station (~5 min). Trains run frequently through the day and into the evening, and no booking is needed, so you can leave whenever you finish. Check the return times on the platform display when you arrive.
Before you go
- Cash
- Entry to the shrine and mountain trail is free. On JR trains you can tap an IC card (Suica or ICOCA), or buy a paper ticket at the machine; no cash is needed for the shrine itself.
- Closing days
- The upper trail can be slippery after rain, and it is a real climb, so wear proper shoes. Several small fox-deity shrines along the path are active places of worship — please keep quiet and respectful.
- Another way
- From Osaka or the Gion-Shijo area, take the Keihan Main Line to Fushimi-inari Station instead; from there it is about a 5-minute walk east to the shrine.
- After you get off
- The JR Inari Station exit faces the first torii gate directly. Walk straight along the approach path to the main hall, then follow the torii tunnel that begins behind it.