Fushimi-Inari Shrine

Before heading south to Osaka, we stopped for a visit to the famous Inari Shrine in Fushimi ward. Best known for a walking path made of thousands of torii gates, it's also worth visiting if you want to ensure yourself a good harvest, as Inari is the Shinto god in charge of such things.







Inari is often depicted as a white fox (above), and Inari shrines are to be found throughout Japan. You'll know you're at one when you see statues like this one. Another indication of an Inari shrine, I am told, is that typically the torii gates at Inari shrines are painted vermillion.





You can see on the map that the torii gates cover quite a distance. (They are the orange scribbles following several sloping hills towards the mountains in the background.) There are literally thousands of gates there, each one donated by some individual, family, or company. While unfortunately we didn't have time to trek the entire path, we did get to see the first few hundred meters or so, and it impressed us enough that we're eager to return (someday...).