Welcome back, friends! This week we’re going to talk about the beautiful Fushimi-Inari Shrine, which I was excited to see before I even got to Japan. It’s a popular place for both tourists and locals and I would suggest seeing it if you’re in the area. Just remember that it is a sacred place.
Fushimi-Inari Shrine
Fushimi-Inari Shrine is over 1300 years old, being established in 711 AD, and is the head shrine for all of the Inari shrines in Japan. It is known for several things, including: bountiful harvests, business prosperity, safety of households, safety in traffic, and improvements in performing arts. It’s said that the vibrant red color is protection against evil forces and the statues of foxes seen throughout the shrine are messengers of Inari Okami–the deity.
The history of Fushimi-Inari is interesting. If you’d like a more detailed account than I can provide here, check the website linked below.
This info is from my experiences and the website for the castle. Credit where credit is due.
Accessibility of Fushimi-Inari Shrine
Parking
We took the train and walked here, but there is access by bus and car. Parking is available, but it fills up fast. If the lot is full, staff will direct you to other places to park.
Bathrooms
There are bathrooms about halfway up the walkway, but they were closed when we walked by. I do believe there were some closer to the entrance too, but I didn’t use or see them.
My Experience
Fushimi-Inari Shrine is breathtaking, both figuratively and literally. It is such a beautiful place, full of reds, golds, and historic architecture. The pictures I took almost don’t do it justice. I kind of just stopped and stared for a minute. While I enjoyed it, it was a difficult activity for me.
Getting to the shrine from the train station is where the difficulty started. Hills and crowds, friends. Hills and crowds. The area was cool, there we so many shops and food stalls to explore. However, it was challenging to navigate and I was a bit winded before we got there.
The shrine itself has a lot of inclines, stairs, etc. and we all know by now, inclines are the bane of my existence. I, along with a few others, only went part way up. I saw the stairs and remaining climb and noped myself right back down the hill at a leisurely pace. Not only was it hard breathing wise, my pelvis and knees were screaming from all the activity they were no longer used to doing. It was how we got such good pictures of the gates without people in them, so perk…
All of that being said, it’s a busy place, so crowds will be a thing. I wouldn’t expect anything less at a shrine of this level. If crowds are a thing for you, I’d try to go in the off hours.
My rating
If I had to put a rating on this activity, I would say it could range from easy to hard depending on what you chose to do. If you take the train and have to walk the hills leading up to the shrine and go to the top, it is 100% going to be hard. Especially for people like me who get winded with a slight incline. If you drive and stay off the inclines, it would be easier. Same with every combination above. With what my group did, I would say it’s a moderate to hard activity. We started at the train station and the majority of us went to the top. Even though I didn’t go to the top, the rest was enough to have me cooked.
Anything else you’d like to know? Comments or concerns? Post them below!
Unfortunately, Cardybear did not come on the Japan adventures. I wanted to bring him, but he takes up my whole backpack. He was definitely there in spirit though.
Be safe out there and remember your passport! Seeyalaterbye <3
Also, if you feel called to help a sista out with her travels, check this out!
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