Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
This shrine is one of many located throughout Japan that was built to honor Inari, the Shinto god of rice.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Southern Kyoto
Southern Kyoto has a reserved air. Though the Fushimi Inari Shrine is one of Kyoto's major tourist attractions, the surrounding nature, parks, gardens, temples, and shrines provide less-visited spaces for strolling and reflection. The Fushimi Inari Shrine itself is made up of 32,000 sub-shrines, and the mountain they are dotted across beckons hikers, picnickers, and lovers of the outdoors. Many of the mountain's off-set paths aren't frequented by tourists, and the mountain's serenity can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Southern Kyoto is the place to enjoy being outside, and to pay your respects to the ancient architecture and gods of the land that are celebrated here.
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See what travellers are saying
  • Erin C
    Glasgow, United Kingdom485 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    You don't need to get there at 6am to enjoy
    I cannot stress this enough, unless you are a professional photographer you do not need to arrive here at 6am. We got here at 11am and the start was busy but just keep walking and the tourists disappear and you get amazing photos. It is quite the trek though, uphill. So dress appropriately. You can buy water and food on the way up. It is definitely a must do Kyoto activity.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 October 2023
  • pyt_go_girl
    Canadian Rockies, Canada169 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Plan to climb to the top of Mt Inari
    Just visited mid October and it's true what everyone warns about it being extremely crowded. The only way to get the moneyshot with no one else around is to scale the mountain to the very top and that's what we did and even then, it wasn't totally empty and we still had to wait for other hikers to pass by before taking a shot. We're glad we did since we were able to take many pictures. Weather was just perfect. sunny and warm but not too hot. Going up took 1.5 hours and coming down under an hour but if you have the time it's totally worth it. We reached the Main Shrine area about 4:15 and we were surprised to see that it was even more crowded than when we arrived at 12 noon. we noticed that there were way more tour groups. So if you plan to visit, have the time and energy, go up to the top. It's really worth it!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 October 2023
  • Suzanne B
    San Diego, California75 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unique place, must visit
    Incredible mountain with 1000 Tori gates and shrines. If you are few days in kyotto it’s a must visit. Don’t stop at the beginning of the path trying to take pictures it creates a lot of tragic since this is a very visited attraction. As you climb up the mountain there will be many opportunities for picture it takes 3 hrs to hike up and down.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 October 2023
  • Peter K
    Ryde, Australia527 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Japan iconic must see
    One of the iconic features of Japan. The complex is larger and more impressive than perhaps one thinks. Although there are crowds, as to be expected, it is one ofmthe must do's and we'll worth the effort of walking and waiting for the photographs to be taken.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 October 2023
  • Norm the Nomad
    Australia1,246 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic. Iconic place to go - but get there early before the crowds.
    An early start allowed us to visit the ‘one of the most popular’ tourist spots in Kyoto. The Fushimi Inara-taishi shrine. Known for its “1,000 vermillion coloured, Tori Gates” it is one of the iconic ‘photo spots’ of Kyoto. And plenty of tourists all trying to get that ‘perfect shot’.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Everywhere is on the list…
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands850 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must visit in Kyoto
    Exactly as you see in the photos and movies. Fabulous atmosphere; many students and tourists and no touts! Lots of shrines to buy gifts and opportunities to make wishes or say a prayer. Would recommend hiring a tour guide otherwise you might miss the history and understand all the different shrines, etc. Wear good walking shoes and be prepared to wait for a good photo.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 October 2023
  • Rodman100
    Wellington, New Zealand754 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Climb Away
    Entrance is opposite the Fushimi Inari train station. You have to be reasonably fit to walk to the Inari shine at the top of the hill, the climb takes about 45 to 50 minutes, there are several rest stops and shops on the way up, beware though prices for drinks increase the higher you climb. There are plenty of shrines to view as well. The orange/red gates you walk through give you plenty of cover. Entrance to the site is free.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 29 October 2023
  • Grumpy Cat
    Japan20 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great but also Crowded 😞
    This was a very impressive and mesmerizing attraction to visit and it was quite the walk too! The only reason I didn’t give this a five star review is because it’s literally almost never as empty as people want you to believe. So crowded that it’s nearly impossible to take photo without a crowd of random people in your photo!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 November 2023
  • alohatripper
    Honolulu, Hawaii1,747 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Our driver/guide, Ko, ultimate wish: Afford to place his own torii here
    Ko, our Kyoto driver/guide, took us here in 2017 when we were here. We re-visited it, calling it "10,000 Torii," although we don't know exactly how many torii there are. The reason being that newly added ones are donated and built all the time. Ko said that he hopes one day to have a small one erected for himself. It will have inscriptions of his choosing. He is building up his savings to eventually do this. I hope he tells us when it is done.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 12 November 2023
  • Lauren M
    Torrance, California218 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Many Gates
    We love hiking and Fushimi Inari was on the top of things to do in Kyoto when we planned this trip. We took the advise of many and woke up early in the morning to avoid the crowd as we had more than few things scheduled for rest of the day. We took a train from Kiyomizu Gojo and we were there by the entrance around 6 am. Only a handful of friendly travelers were present and made the hike go rather quickly. We hiked to the top and came back down in little over an hour. Walking through all the gates was beautiful and surreal. I'm glad that we were able to experience it.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 December 2023
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4.5
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Anon
16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
We visited Fushimi Inari as part of a tour (highly recommend to do a tour so that you understand the stories and meanings behind each part of the shrine). This place is huge- it sits on a mountain and you can hike through the entire shrine. It was still crowded enough with locals and quite a lot of tourists despite all the virus hype, so I can’t imagine how much busier it is during normal tourist season! It is better to visit early in the morning. In one part of the shrine, there are small local stores, one of which sold boiled eggs- a must try! Delicious and boiled in the sacred waters of the shrine.
Also, get ready for a major workout - if you plan to walk the entire length of it, there are many steps and lots of long, narrow trails.
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristin B
Islamorada, FL45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2020
We loved this shrine, so amazing and a nice easy hike. We went very early in the morning to avoid any crowds, I believe we arrived around 8am & there were very few people there. Took the subway system from Kyoto Station and it's only about a block from the station there (I can't remember the name of this stop). Must see if you're in Kyoto.
Written 22 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HPLIM
JOHOR BAHRU747 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
A trip to Kyoto is incomplete without visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha!
From Arashimaya station, we took the JR train to Inari Station for our next itinerary, the Fushimi Inari Taisha. We started our walking tour from the shrine which sits at the base of the Mt Inari by walking through the thousands of vermillion torri gates which straddle a network of trails behind its main building. In fact the vermillion torri gate is the icon of Japan. On the way, there are many fox statues across the shrine grounds. We climbed up to Mt Inari which is 233m above sea level. It was just another 15 minute walk before reaching the peak, but we abandoned it as it was getting dark and there were not many visitors going up. So we decided to descend and walk back to Keihan Inari Station. It’s a good walk with fresh air and some beautiful scenery along the way. On the way to the Keihan Inari Station, there are many hawkers selling various type of local food. We tried the grilled Wagyu beef before boarding the train to Gion-Shijo Station.
Written 18 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MariamJavier
Japan199 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021 • Family
One of Kyoto’s oldest historic landmarks!!The most important Inari Shinto shrine in Japan. It’s FREE (no charge) & so is the parking (parking attendants direct the parking). Stunning Romon Gate, Main Hall & Shrine. Be prepared for a 2-3 hr excursion just for the hike through all the toriis - climb the stairs & hike through over a thousand vermilion torii shrine gates to the summit of sacred Mt Inari. Descend back to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. We took frequent rest breaks while hiking upward. There are quite a few shops (for drinks, food, souvenirs, ice cream, etc), vending machines but maybe only 2 restroom areas along the hike. Best to get to the shrine & start the climb as early in the morning as possible...you’ll get wonderful photos before the crowds come. Majority of people wore masks for COVID precautions.
Written 23 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steph & Dan
53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
What you see in the pictures is just the very surface of this place. You can spend hours here. We recommend arriving early (at or just after sunrise) and making this a contemplative walk. Our group of four split up at times to make this our own experience - praying, humming, connecting with nature, or whatever else might suit you. The views are breathtaking and it's really special this space is open to the public. Highly recommend you snap a photo or two at the beginning and then put away the camera to discover so much more by showing up to the whole experience.
Written 27 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Siddharth B
Seattle, WA545 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
My absolute favorite attraction in Kyoto, and maybe all of Japan. When you enter Fushimi Inari, you are greeted with the tori gates with a big orange building with shinto foxes on both sides. This is the iconic picture of it, and one might be forgiven for thinking this is where it ends.

However the beauty of Fushimi Inari lies beyond the entrance, and moving past it to the other temples on the long set of stairs. Neither me or my wife are hikers, but we absolutely loved going up Fushmi Inari as we kept being greeted by ever more imposing thousands of tori gates. There are multiple temples along the way to the summit, which in itself are beautiful and worth stopping and paying homage. You will keep seeing the beautiful fox statues all across the hike too. Unfortunately our feet were too sore from all the walking in Kyoto, Osaka that we stopped a little bit short of the summit and never reached Mt. Inari.

At the base and even along the hike, there are food stalls selling local food items. We didn’t grab a bite, but if you’re adventurous it could be worth a try. With it’s free price label, I’d rank it Kyoto’s must-visit attraction and one of the “shouldn’t miss” places
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Piotr S
Krakow, Poland236 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We were there in the evening (about one hour before sunset, so the place definitely was not overcrowded. Orange/almost red Tori gates are absolutely unforgettable views. The whole shrine area is rather big. Tori gates lead to thetop of the hill, where there are a few platforms allowing for great views on Kyoto, other surrounding hills and even Osaka. Additionally, everywhere are everywhere stone fox statues, as the shrine is devoted to deity of foxes, which are the messengers observing people. Very nice place, with some quiet, contemplative places, especially when not overcrowded. Absolutely "must see" in Kyoto.
Written 15 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Svitlanka Sergiichuk
Kyiv, Ukraine345 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
This giant shrine area with thousands of orange shinto gates and statues of the foxes are a must visit in Kyoto, and I have a small tip on how to avoid the crowds of tourists there. Officially the place is open till 5 pm. But in fact, it is safely accessible any time, so I recommend to come AFTER 5 pm.

Firstly, the place has a great lighting around all the temples 24/7 so you will see them well even when it’s dark - I added the pics here.

Secondly, it is not crowded at all in the evening, so you can enjoy your privacy on the nature side.

Thirdly, you will still be able to make it to all the suggested walks.

Have fun!
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

markdoc_geo
Copenhagen, Denmark28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
It's said that this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, and I can believe it: we were there on a cold day in December and the place was absolutely swarming. I hardly dare contemplate what it must be like in the high season.

However, don't let that put you off. The temple complex covers the whole mountainside, and as you go up the mountain, the crowds fall away. The vast bulk of visitors only visit the lower part of the complex and of those who go further, most stop at the saddle where there is a great view of Kyoto, and a small restaurant. If you climb to the top (about a 15 minute walk from the saddle) and then take the loop path that leads you back to the saddle, you can enjoy an uncrowded walk along the forest path, dotted with those iconic orange Torii gates.

It's probably obvious, but it should be noted that this is NOT a destination for the mobility-impaired. The paths are steep and often narrow and there are a lot of irregular stone steps.
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caroline V
San Jose, CA28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Couples
What a neat and lovely place! Yes, it can be crowded. We got there early and it wasn’t too bad; the crowds also thin out the higher you climb.

When we were there, everyone was very considerate and respectful, both of the shrine itself and of their fellow visitors.

The views are lovely and it was definitely worth the climb. When you descend, you can take the back path and avoid those who are climbing up. It’s faster and it makes the torii gate path less crowded for those who are still going up, too!
Written 31 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, Kyoto

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