Fushimi Inari-Taisha

An incredibly important Shinto Shrine in Kyoto, the Fushimi Inari-Taisha is popular for its vermillion Torii gates which run into thousands and the resulting maze makes for extremely pretty pictures. These gates lead to a forested trail belonging to the sacred Mount Inari that stands tall at 230 m and is one of the major reasons why travellers throng to this sight. Dedicated to the Shinto God of rice (Rice is revered in Japan), the shrine is as old as 794, making it truly ancient. The Romon Gate, donated by the leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1589, standing at the entrance of the shrine seems intimidating at first but leads to the fascinating complex which consists of five temples and hundreds of stone foxes.

The three-hour long hike is home to multiple miniature shrines with their own Torii Gates along with restaurants serving local dishes. Hiking couldn’t possibly have been more fun. The views of the city of Kyoto from the summit of the mountain are simply breath-taking and will make you want to camp on it forever. The descent on the other hand isn’t all that inspiring. Located right outside the JR Inari Station, the Shrine is a mere 5 minute ride from the Kyoto Station and the journey should cost you around 140 Yen if you do not have a Japan Rail Pass.