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  • This is Letters from Japan. Today, I’m at the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto.

  • The Fushimi Inari Shrine is located in Southern Kyoto, at the western foot of Mt. Inari.

  • There are over 30,000 Inari Shrines throughout Japan.

  • Fushimi Inari is the head shrine and is the primary place of worship for Inari Okami,

  • the guardian god of rice and prosperity.

  • As you explore the shrine and wander through the grounds, you might notice several fox

  • statues standing like guardians to the Shrine’s facilities.

  • The Fox is said to be a spirit servant to Inari Okami and is able to communicate our

  • wishes to her.

  • Fushimi Inari is perhaps most known for the thousands of Torii Gates that the line the

  • path up Inari Mountain.

  • These gates have been featured in several Hollywood films, and images of them seem to

  • don the cover of countless guide books.

  • There are over 10,000 toriis that have been contributed by worshipers, businesses, and

  • individuals throughout Japan.

  • The function of a torii gate is to mark the entrance to an area that is sacred; however,

  • the significance of the these in particular suggests that they are the gateway through

  • which dreams will come true.

  • The torii gates as well as the Shrine buildings are all painted in the same vermillion orange.

  • Not only is vermillion the color that expresses Inari Okami’s power, it has, for centuries,

  • been used to symbolize the life force of humanity.

  • If you plan to hike all the way to the top of Mt. Inari, itll take about 2 to 3 hours.

  • Along the way are several places to rest, buy a drink and even have lunch, so you won’t

  • need much else beyond a pair of comfortable shoes and a camera.

  • So how do you get there: If youre coming from Osaka, youll probably

  • want to take the Keihan line and get off at Fushimi Inari Station. From here, it’s just

  • a 10 minute walk across the tracks and up the side entrance of the shrine.

  • The good thing about this route is that you can stop off along the way and fill up on

  • some of the delicious street food, just before your long hike up the mountain.

  • If youre coming from Kyoto, youll want to take the JR Train to Inari Station. This

  • is just a mere two stops away from Kyoto Station.

  • The good thing about this route is that, when you leave the station, youll immediately

  • exit out onto the main entrance of the shrine.

  • For more information, check down in the description. I’ll post some links thatll help you

  • plan your visit. Also, if you enjoyed this video, please subscribe. I post videos like

  • this once a week, and if you subscribe, youll be notified whenever a new one is available.

  • Thanks for watching.

This is Letters from Japan. Today, I’m at the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto.

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