Fushimi Inari Shrine

A morning spent at the Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Fushimi Inari shrine site in Kyoto Japan at the base of Mt. Inari.  The site consists of a main shrine and many smaller shrines accessible by paths lined with torii (the orange gates pictured below).  The shrine has the nickname “the shrine of a thousand gates” due to the sheer number of torii.

There are several walking paths that stray off the main path.  The wander in to areas that seem to cluster collections of smaller shrines that are hidden back in the trees.  Fortunately there were almost no other people in these areas as they looked like they went practically nowhere from the main path.  But you can get a real feel for the Japanese culture from the intricate carvings and stone work.