When to Visit Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari: Early Morning vs. Night

If ever there was a site which rewards good timing, Fushimi Inari is it. Thousands upon thousands of red-orange torii gates light up the forest, forming otherworldly pathways between countless shrines, each presided over by a pair of fox statues. At the transition between night and day, smaller creatures like sparrows and cicadas add their voices to the rustling leaves.

By 8 a.m, the crowds start to arrive, and human noises dominate all but the uppermost stretches of the mountain. Arriving at sunrise, we easily distanced ourselves from the few people we encountered. This allowed us to fully experience the site’s magic, from the play of light between the torii to quiet clusters of mossy altars tucked amongst the trees.

On the left, Fushimi Inari at 6 a.m. On the right, the same area several hours later.

With ticketless 24-hour access, Fushimi Inari offers more flexibility than Kyoto’s other sites. Visiting outside of standard business hours frees up more of the daytime for other monuments – and avoids the worst crowds. The question is when to arrive.

Orientation

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a 1300 year-old complex of Shinto shrines sprawling across Inariyama, the final peak of Kyoto’s eastern mountain range. The most important of Japan’s 30,000 shrines honoring the rice deity Inari draws pilgrims from all over the country. It’s also become a destination for more than ten million tourists every year.

The most famous – and crowded – parts of Fushimi Inari come at the beginning, where the terrain is relatively flat. The grand Romon gateway marks the entrance, leading to the main shrine at the foot of the slope. Behind it the Senbon Torii (Thousand Gates) wind through the forest, clustering densely enough to create a tunnel effect.

A prayer area known as Inari Okusha marks the end of the Senbon Torii. At this point the path begins climbing up the mountain and the torii gates gradually begin to thin. The next major landmark is Shin-Ike Pond, with an enclave of small shrines on its edge. Further along, several trails converge at an overlook where a rest area invites hikers to contemplate the view. This junction marks the midpoint of the main route. Fushimi Inari’s upper section includes a half dozen larger shrines spread out in a loop from the Yotsuji crossroads.

The Best Time to Visit Fushimi Inari

Avoiding crowds in the site’s most arresting stretches means arriving after dark or near dawn. A surprising number of people complete the entire circuit at night, which is often described as an eerie experience. Lit by lanterns, the torii’s shadows increase in prominence, slicing across the path from the surrounding blackness. But reduced visibility requires some caution when walking and limits explorations off the main path. Wild boars make their home on the mountain, and their presence often requires backtracking.

Some visitors arrive in the late afternoon, hike up to catch the sunset, and walk back through the Senbon Torii after dark. Unfortunately this means spending a good chunk of time stuck in the gridlock of the early gates. We knew that starting with mobs in the shrine’s lower areas would sour our mood.

For those who want to experience the site with sunlight moving through the mountainside, daybreak is the best option. Arriving in the dim light of a May morning at 5:15 a.m., we had the luxury to explore at our own pace. The uncanny experience of walking through the Senbon Torii in serenity set the tone for the entire site. Our only limitation was logistical: most food and restroom facilities don’t open until about 9, though we did find a toilet open in the main entrance area and vending machines at the crossroads.

Fushimi Inari at Dawn

In the quiet period when darkness recedes and daylight begins, Fushimi Inari’s most spectacular sections exert their full power. We passed through the monumental entrance structures void of people, just as the deep orange accents began to gleam. About half an hour after the official sunrise, light in the forest was faint enough to get a sense of nighttime but still allowed our cameras to work without a flash. Rays of sun passed through the trees and torii with increasing frequency as we climbed.

Walking through the vermillion gates, we noticed variations in size and age. Along the way, we paused frequently to explore a few of thousands of shrines dotting the mountainside. Many feature miniature torii shapes stacked against the old stone altars as well fox statues decked out in red bibs. These smaller shrines add an intimate dimension to the site and range from freshly-swept shelters to carved stones disappearing in a fuzz of moss.

As predators of crop-eating rodents, foxes have long been considered sacred in Japan. Kitsune statues typically hold something in their mouths, like a sheaf of grain or the key to a storehouse. Sometimes they carry a scroll symbolizing their role as messengers of Inari.

Interestingly, we found more people at the crossroads than we had further down, as those who had hiked to reach the summit at dawn returned. The rest area has some benches where we contemplated the view (not as interesting as the trail, in our opinion) and sampled canned coffee from the vending machine. By this point, hunger was starting to kick in, so we decided to skip the upper loop and head back down.

Shortly below the crossroads, a smaller junction (labeled Mitsutsuji or 三ツ辻) lets visitors choose whether to backtrack along the Senbon Torii or take a more direct trail to the exit. The latter may not have tunnels of torii but we found plenty of curiosities and surprises. Skirting the edge of a bamboo grove, we met a few residents of the local cat colony and discovered more diverse shrines – including one cluster dedicated to frogs.

Hiking Fushimi Inari: How Far and How Long

The 230-meter ascent to the top of Inariyama is usually rated “moderate” but it is a mountain, with around 12,000 steps. Fortunately there are plenty of spots to rest along the way. Two hours is considered adequate to hike the entire circuit – although that doesn’t factor in time to explore the surroundings along the way. Between taking pictures and investigating shrines, we took over two and a half hours going to the crossroads and back.

Practicalities

Multiple teahouses and toilets are marked on maps posted at key points across the site. Besides a restroom near the main shrine, nothing was open when we visited. When we left around 8 a.m., food and souvenir stalls were just setting up along the lane leading to Fushimi Inari.

From our hotel in Gion, a four-kilometer taxi ride to Fushimi Inari cost less than ¥2,000. Beginning at 5 a.m., Kyoto’s transportation network offers sparse service which gradually picks up for the morning rush hour. The Inari station on the JR Nara train line is across the street from the site’s edge. Across the canal, the Fushimi-Inari station on the Keihan subway is an easy four-minute walk. 

Further Reading

This is the first in a series of posts on Japan. Check back soon for more on Kyoto!