Fushimi Inari Shrine

 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.

It seemed tough for her to walk all the way.

Here please watch the video I made.