I have only heard about Fushimi Inari Taisha from my older daughter 2 years back when she visited the shrine during of her extended school trip of Japan. I have been always fascinated by Japan and have read a lot of Japanese authors, but until she mentioned this I have never come across this name for some reason. Later when I learned about it from her and researched the place near Kyoto (a 5 min local train ride from Kyoto station), I first thought, no I don't want to go there! Why? The place is over-crowded by tourists and I don't like crowd too much. More on that later. However, I am glad, I did decide to visit, even with the tourists it is still a magical place!
Fushimi Inari Taisha, the head shrine of the some 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan, has a long and fascinating history dating back over 1,300 years. The shrine's origins are traditionally traced to 711 AD, during the Nara Period. It is said that an ancestor of the prominent Hata clan, Irogu no Hatanokimi, was ordered to enshrine deities on Mount Inari. This coincided with a time of poor harvests, and following the enshrinement, the farmers were blessed with a bountiful harvest. The name "Inari" is believed to be derived from the Japanese word for "rice grows" (inari): いなり (LOL, even I can read and write that!).
This is the entrance to the shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Inari Ōkami, the Shinto deity of rice, agriculture, fertility, and, later, business prosperity and general good fortune. Much of the shrine was destroyed by fire during the Ōnin Rebellion (1467–1477). The main shrine building (Honden) was notably rebuilt in 1499, a structure that is now designated as an Important Cultural Property. The magnificent tower gate (Rōmon Gate) at the shrine's entrance was built in 1589 with donations from the famous leader, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who prayed there for his mother's recovery from illness. This is that gate!
I think I can get more into the history and spiritual aspect of the Inari shrines, but that could be boring and my time here is limited :)
So I want to touch the other modern aspect which led to the situation of me not wanting to visit this place at all! The iconic path of thousands of vermilion torii gates, which wind up the mountain trails, is Fushimi Inari's most recognizable feature. The custom of dedicating a torii gate began to spread widely during the Edo period (1603–1868) as a way for individuals and, particularly, businesses to offer a prayer for success or to express gratitude for a wish fulfilled. Each gate bears the name of the donor and the date of the donation. But here lies the problem. They are incredibly pretty and Instagram worthy!
The hyper-popularity of Fushimi Inari Taisha began to significantly accelerate in the mid-2010s, around the time that platforms like Instagram gained massive global traction. While the shrine has always been famous locally, its explosion on the global stage can be roughly pinned to the period between 2014 and 2017. This period saw a massive overall rise in inbound tourism to Japan, supported by government tourism campaigns (like the #visitjapanjp initiative) and the general global growth of visual social media. Fushimi Inari Taisha became one of the key, must-see destinations.
This is what you see today if you go there mid-day early afternoon. Here is my take on this though, even with the crowd it is still incredibly beautiful. I even adore the shot above. By the way, those kimonos are rental :) but won't worry we won't tell anyone! And no, those ladies are not local Japanese, they are Chinese Americans :) Yes, yes, we won't tell anyone!
But, here is the problem. This is a deeply spiritual site for the local, and I say even for me. Anyone who can sit in the corner, and wait a bit, yes, such places do exists still in Fushimi Inari, we can feel the "inner peace".
Yet, the large crowds have often turned the sacred site into a photo-op destination, leading some locals to feel that its original religious and cultural significance is being overshadowed by its role as an "Instagram spot." This is a major problem in Kyoto and quite a few places have started to restrict tourist after a few incidents with geishas and other things (there are numerous videos on YouTube and I won't link them here).
So, here is the summary of my frustration and then I will get off my soap box. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have fundamentally changed how travel itineraries are planned, with destinations like Fushimi Inari Taisha being a prime example of an ancient, culturally significant site whose global fame was rapidly multiplied by the power of the algorithm. When you follow an algorithm to travel and take picture of yourself in-front of that gate or fox, Kitsune (きつね), you are just thinking about yourself, and not absorbing anything or learning anything. You are just a dumb Instagram bunny!
That is the fox, Kitsune (きつね) or fox spirit which possesses the supernatural ability to shapeshift or bewitch other life forms
Phew! Inner Peace! Inner Peace! :)
As I walked through the shrine, it is a massive area in fact, crowds begin to thin a bit. It is a steep hill, all paved, but there are a lot of paths. Most people crowd at the lower segment of the path. It is hard for Americans to walk in their rented Kimonos (there are many places to rent just as you exit the train station) and rental Japanese sandals! So very quickly I have been up to this Hachirei Shrine that I found mostly to myself! At Fushimi Inari that is a tall order of luck I must say!
I sat down here for a little while and thinking what the hell I am doing here for quite a bit. I guess it is okay to escape the responsibility and daily grind something and do something else on a whim. There is only one life!
With that closing thought, I better stop writing and get out there to see what Nara has to offer. It is certainly less crowded here.
