
Toriis to the hind shrine
is the head
shrine of
Inari, located in
Fushimi-ku,
Kyoto,
Japan.
The Inari is worshipped popularly among merchants and industries for wealth. Donated
toriis lined footpaths are the scenic.
History
In 711 Emperor's order set 3
Kamis in the now sacred area of the shrine, Inari-yama.
Structures
At the bottom of the hill is the 'Rōmon' (楼門 lit. main gate) and the 'Go-Honden' (御本殿 lit. main shrine). Behind them in the middle of the mountain, the 'Oku miya' (奥宮 lit. hind shrine) is reachable through thousands of torii lined path. To the top of the mountain, tens of thousands of 'Tsuka' (塚 lit. mound) for private worship are found.
Fox
Foxes (
kitsune), regarded as the messengers, are often found in Inari shrines with a key (for the rice granary) in their mouths.
Unlike most Shinto shrines, Fushimi Inari Taisha – in keeping with typical Inari shrines – has an open view of the main idol object (a mirror).
A drawing in Kiyoshi Nozaki's ''Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance and Humor'' in 1786 depicting the shrine says that its two-story entry gate was built by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
The shrine draws several million worshippers over the
Japanese New Year, 2.69 million for 3 days in 2006 reported by the police, the most in western Japan.
Access
★
JR Nara Line Inari Station, 5 min. from
Kyoto Station: 3 minutes
★
Keihan Electric RailwayMain Line Fushimi-Inari station: 5 minutes walk
Modern pop culture
★ ''
Memoirs of a Geisha'' (2005)
See also
★
Nijūnisha (22 major shrines)
External links
★
Official Site '(ja)' (NB: music plays automatically on the top web page)
★
Photographs of Fushimi Inari-taisha
Notes