Fushimi Inari Taisha

Hello all!

Myself and some of my colleagues visited Kyoto last weekend.  Kyoto is a cultural treasure for Japan, as it is home to countless ancient temples and shrines that have been preserved.  Unlike other Japanese cities, Kyoto was not targeted during the World Wars, allowing these sacred sites to survive the past centuries.

View of Kyoto from part way up Inari Mountain

As have a strong interest in older world religions and mythologies, it comes as no surprise that I have become enamoured with the preservation of Shintoism into modern day Japan.  One of the major Shinto Shrines we visited in Kyoto is Fushimi Inari, also known as the 1000 Tori Gates.  Located at the base of Inari Mountain, this Shrine has existed since 711 C.E.

Shrine main Entrance

Smaller sub-shine

Inari Okami is one of the major kami in Shintoism.  "Kami" doesn't translate well into English, but in simple terms refers to the gods and spirits of Shinto.  Inari is often viewed as being one, or a collection of three or five different kami.  In different stories, they can be male, female, or andrygenous.

It has been estimated that approximately 1/3 of all Shinto shrines in Japan are dedicated to Inari, making them quite the popular kami!

Most Shinto shrines will feature a tori gate at its entrance.  Passing through these gates signify that you are leaving the human world into a spiritual place.  Inari is strongly associated with the red tori gates, which is why shrines dedicated to them will often have many of them.  This site is famous for having over a thousand tori.

You can walk through the hundreds of tori at Fushimi Inari Taisha

Inari is associated with "kitsune" (foxes).  These foxes are white, and act as messengers to the kami.  In folklore, kitsune are tricksters and shapeshifters, who will often trick or help humans.  Nearly all Inari shrines will feature a pair of these stylized kitsune, generally one male, one female.

Pairs of kitsune statues are prevalent at Inari's Shrines

Inari is an exceedingly popular kami to revere.  They are associated with prosperity and worldly success.  It makes sense, then, for Inari to be the patron kami of industries and buisnesses, many of which will dedicate shrines and tori to them.  All of the tori at Fushimi Inari have been donated by buisnesses, whose names will be written on the back of their respective gate.  Inari is also the patron of foxes, fertility, agriculture, rice, tea, and sake.  The kitsune statues at Inari shrines will generally be holding some kind of representative item in their mouths, such as rice sheaves or jewels. Some stories also associate Inari with blacksmithing and as a protector of warriors.

The tori have the names of the businesses that donated them inscribed on their backs

On the evening of July 19th, there was a lantern festival in Inari's honour.  Many visitors wore fox masks, and yukatas.  There was music, and we joined in a large circle dance with the other visitors.

As the sun set, the glow of a thousand lanterns glowed in the dusk

Offerings are often left out for the kami.  A popular offering is the type of sushi, appropriately named "inari".  These are balls of rice wrapped in pockets made of flat fried bean curd.  This type of bean curd is also appropriately called "kitsune".  The pockets are often shaped into triangles to resemble a foxes' ear.  I had to piece these bits of information together, myself, but I'm sure you can see how this all fits together!  Also, inari is delicious, and you can get it at almost any sushi restaurant in Vancouver, so go try it!

I think this is a keg of sake to be offered to Inari during the festival

These hand-drawn pictures are illuminated by the laterns.

Priests are getting ready to do something important.

This is only one of the many beautiful places we've visited in Kyoto, and Japan in general.  Hopefully I'll be able to fill you in, more!  And seriously, try some inari next time you go out of sushi, and remember some of the things you've now learned!  :)