The Origin here dates back to 711 before the capital was moved to Kyoto.
The people believed Inari Mountain was a sacred mountain. The strong clan, Hata, created a shrine here. It has been loved by local people since then. Now it is very popular because of the consecutive rad gates called Torii gate. But these Torii gates began to appear here much later.
This says Fushimi Inari shrine. Inari means rice or rice bag, so this shrine is specialized in bumper crops. Next to this, you will see a fox statue with rice plant in the mouth. A fox is a messenger of the Shinto deity or Kami here. There are four kinds in the foxes' mouth.
A ball for treasure ball, Rice, a key for rice ware house and a paper scroll for wisdom.
In old times in spring, foxes came out of the mountain to seek food. But when the people saw them, as they are from the sacred mountain, people believed that they must be a messenger of Kami.
You can see the mountain behind the shrine building. It is a part of the shrine. In this way, the precinct is very large covering all the mountain.
All the gates including the gate tower are donations by the worshippers. After two big red gates, you will come to the two storied gate. It is also a donation, donated by then ruler in 16th century who united the nation after the war time in Japan.
He wished the recovery of his mother's illness.
On the side of the second red gate, this place can be seen. This is the place for a car. Some people who bought a car bring their cars here to ask the Sｈinto priest to ( in a sense ) purify a car so that they will have no accident.
We make a wish in front of the main hall. the benefit of this shrine is of course rice harvest, but recently many people make a wish for business prosperity. It is also a benefit here because of the merchant in samurai time. ( His business went successful after worshipping to Inari shrine)
The red gates started to be donated since around this time.
We believe that to walk through the gate is to realize the wish.
Anyway, walking through the consecutive gates produces special atmosphere
This red gate tunnel goes to the top of the mountain, you need 1 hour and 40 min to go and come back.
At the first station called Okunosha, you can see the map of the mountain. Even in the court noble time, the people walked up to the top. We can tell thanks to the diary kept by a female writer.
Amanohashidate is one of three scenic spots in Japan. First, Please see this video, short introduction
Amanohashidate means the bridge to heaven. It appears in Japanese mythology.
A Shinto diety, ( kami ), Izanagi, put a ladder between heaven and earth. However, while he was taking a nap, the ladder fell down and became Amanohashidate.
It is 3.5 kilometer sand bar with 20 meter to 170 meter width. It has about 5000 to 8000 pine trees.
In the middle of this sand-bar, there is a small shrine, Amanohashidate shrine.
It's a power-spot of love matching♪
Next to the shrine, you will find a small well. It is a well. Though it is located between the sea, the water here is not sea water.
After arriving at JR station of Amanohashidate, at the beginning, there is a temple which enshrines Monju bosatsu or Buddhism statue of wisdom.
When you worship here, you will be given wisdom.
In the temple, you will see cute small fans hanging from the pine tree branches.
This is fortune telling card called OMIKUJI. Usually omikuji is a thin paper card. After knowing our fortune, and if it is not a good one, we fold it into small piece and tie to the tree. But here, it is a fan, and looks very cute.
At the sea-side, you will see a stone ring, it's a wisdom ring. Please walk around it three times, and you will gain wisdom. Also you will see a turning bridge which turns around when a boat goes out to the sea.
To go across to the other side of Amanohashidate, you can use a rental bike or a boat. You need one hour to walk through. Any way is fine as you like. When you reach the other side, let's visit Moto Ise Kono shrine. The shrine has long history. It is said that, before the ancestor of The Emperor, Amaterasu, came to be enshrined in Ise-Jingu shrine, she was enshrined a couple of places as the daughter of then Emperor traveled looking for a appropriate place. Amaterasu was enshrined here for a certain period. Of course it is still enshrined here along with the other three kamis.
So it has similar air here as Ise Jingu shrine.
Behind the shrine, there is a cable car station. Let's go up to the hill park
Here , you can command a very nice view of Amanohashidate. But there is a cetain way to view. Please stand against the sea with your legs open, and bend over your body forward. Then please view Amanohashidate between your legs. This way is called Matanozoki, literary --between your leg- viewing
You will see this !!
It is like a bridge to heaven. That's why..
By the way, this is the newspaper article when the way to view was awarded Ig-Nobel prize in 2016, showing how to view
The rainy season shows the beautiful green garden with moss here.
Though it is a small temple, when you stand in the garden and view the moss, it soothes your feeling.
Dating back to Court Noble time in 12th century, there was a beautiful dancer/singer, called Shirabyo-shi. equivalent to a current pop singer and dancer. Her name is Gio.
One day, she visited the most powerful man, the top of Sumurai. Taira Kiyomori.
She wanted him to see her dance . Her wish was realized and he saw her dance. and really liked/loved her
