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Haiden in front of honden

Toriis to the hind shrine

Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha^?) is the head shrine of Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines.

The Inari is worshipped popularly among merchants and industries for wealth. Donated toriis lined footpaths are the scenic.

In 711 Emperor's order set 3 Kamis in the now sacred area of the shrine, Inari-yama.

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 by a path lined with thousands of torii. To the top of the mountain, tens of thousands of Tsuka (塚 lit. mound) for private worship are found.

Kitsune holding a key in its mouth, at the main gate of the Fushimi Inari shrine

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.

• JR Nara Line Inari Station, 5 min. from Kyoto Station: 3 minutes
• Keihan Electric RailwayMain Line Fushimi-Inari station: 5 minutes walk

• Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

• Nijūnisha (22 major shrines)

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Fushimi Inari Jinja

Coordinates: 34°58′02″N, 135°46′22″E

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• Official Site (ja) (NB: music plays automatically on the top web page)
• Photographs of Fushimi Inari-taisha