What other travelers are saying about Fushimi Inari Taisha
Definitely a place worth visiting. The hike around the loop is a bit steep so people with mobility issue might face some difficulties. As for the view during the hike, there are many smaller shrines around and even a bamboo forest (a small detour) there are also local shrines where locals come in and give prayers.
The only downside is the sheer amount of tourist walking in one direction of the torii gates and then traffic builds up due to people stopping to take photos (but feel like this is everywhere you go, so not something that's going to ruin your trip)
Overall I think it took a little longer than an hour to complete the loop (I got sidetracked after the first shrine due to the bamboo
forest)
Make sure to visit this beautiful place during your Kyoto Trip
My wife and I came to Japan for 2 weeks on our honeymoon. With that being said, the very first thing I had on my bucket list over months of planning and anticipating this trip was Fushimi Inari and let me tell you... it's completely and utterly excellent.
My wife and I decided to go at night since it is open 24 hours, which allowed us to hit other landmarks that did have closing times during the day first. Another plus from going at night is the fact that there are hardly any other people there, so it's great to actually get good pictures in AND it's lit up the whole mountain, so you don't have to worry about flashlights and such.
Most people apparently give up and turn around after only going through the first set of gates up the mountain, but let me tell you, it's worth the hike. Please, please do push yourself to put in that 1.5-2 hours to make it to the top and visit every shrine along the way. Not only is there a great workout and sense of accomplishment but an acute sense of solitude and peace at each shrine-- especially towards the top.
It lives up to expectations and more if you brave the 10-12,000 steps. Please go and do so with great respect towards these shrines.
This is a pretty tough FREE 3 mile loop hike up a mountain with about 12,000 steps total. In the brutal summer heat it took us about 5 hours to complete with a several water breaks and a shaved ice break. The view at the top is anticlimactic (no overlook, just a shrine and a shop) however it is still worth hiking the full loop for the views along the way. We took a less beaten path through the forest where we could be surrounded in nature without running into one person. Due to this being one of Japans major tourist attractions it was obviously super crowded. However there were patches of solitude towards the top of the hike. On the way down you may run into some of the cats that live on the property. They’re super friendly and love to be pet! Really cool area and even though it was crowded it felt less so than the famous bamboo forest. The shrines provide tons of shade in the summer so there is some relief from the sun. It isn’t an easy hike though. Be prepared to sweat and be humid the entire time. You won’t be dry once on this hike.
Very cool place! There are so many archways to travel through, acting as a tunnel up the mountain. There are also many shrines along the way. It’s a little creepy on one side with all the tombstones but overall it’s quite amazing. I read that this is the biggest Inari Shrine in all of Japan.
Really enjoyed visiting here , so much so we are aiming to go back in the evening when it's quieter to get the full experience.
Something quite calming working your way up the path and through the gates. In parts there is a one way system but you can still take a side path to visit a small shrine or other feature.
Was busy in the morning when we went (around 8am). There are lots of shrines and temples before you start that part but personally it was all about the gates.
Definte recommend