Japan Day 9 - Kyoto

From what some of my friends have told me, the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine is usually a shoulder-to-shoulder affair. There’s so many people walking up it that it becomes one big long line.

Since I was in Japan just before the pandemic kicked off, things were super quiet. In this case, I’ll treasure this moment because it was quiet and peaceful. I could take my time without feeling like I was holding people up.

This is my last full day in Japan. The next day the camera would be put away and I’d fly home.

Gate No. 1

When I got off the train it looked like it was going to rain. The most of the day was overcast, so I’d go the whole trip without experiencing the full force of a Japanese rain shower.

Gate No. 2

The second gate came quickly and I was thrilled to find out that there was only about 6 people around me at any given time.

Fox Protector

These statues were all over the walk. It’s my understanding that these fox statues were installed because the Inari chosen form is the fox.

Look People!

This was the most people I saw in one place. It was wonderful!

Into the Distance

The gates stretched on into the distance. Almost every pathway along the walk had at least a few gates. The straight and flat sections of the walk often looked like this.

First Stop

I was here pretty early, so not too many of the shops were open. This was a little spot where I took a water break and took in the sounds of the swaying trees.

Foxes for Days

I really enjoyed these statues and was thankful I had the time to appreciate them without feeling rushed.

Small People In The Distance

I loved this photo because it really gives a good sense of scale as to how many gates there are. And how big they are!

Older Gates

I thought it was important to appreciate the older gates as well as the new ones. This one looked like it had stood the test of time through many storms and earthquakes.

A Portrait of a Fox

I’ll never leave my portrait lens at home next time I travel. It really comes in handy for statues and landscapes! So handy!

A Slight Bend

There’s so many stairs on this hike that it started to get quite tiring. I forgot to bring a snack and I wasn’t too interested in the stuff from the vending machines. I pressed on none the less!

Almost There

This spot marked a major intersection where a few options up the mountain presented themselves. The view was pretty good too!

The Light Filtering In

I found it interesting how the colour of the gates shifted as the sunlight morphed from morning into afternoon. The golden light faded.

Would You like A Gate

I believe this was a storefront where you could buy a gate to offer to the shrine. It was closed, so I had no one to ask and confirm!

Show Me Your Good Side

This of course is a lie, because these statues didn’t have a bad side!

Almost there!

Look, people! How odd!

The top!

One of the interesting aspects to this shrine was that the top was very unassuming. It didn’t have a spectacular view or anything. You came to the top to pray. Lovely.

Winding Down

As I worked my way back down the mountain, I loved this little section where the light streamed in through the trees and smoke wafted about them.

Hidden Shrine

In the back of one of the sections was this special area for devoted followers to wash themselves. I was told this is not a place to catch a drink of water.

Once More!

Another shot of that hidden stream. It was a really cool little spot and I wanted to take my time getting the perfect shot.

More Water!

I spent so much time here I got three shots that I loved. This one is one of my favourites.

Vertical Gates

I started taking these photos because I started running into people again. So I stopped and waited for them to disappear around the corner.

Horizontal Gates

I wanted to add a bit of depth to the last photo and used my portrait lens to bring everything closer to my viewing angle. I wanted to post both photos because I though I was pretty succsessful!

A Little Light

This was another of my favourite photos from the whole trip. I got incredibly lucky that the clouds opened up just enough for the sun to backlight these older fox statues.

Moss and Trees

Again, I love moss and trees. It’s hard to avoid that fact in my photos from this trip.

Back To The Hotel

On my way back to my hotel, I spotted this amazing Mini. The colour was so vibrant I had to taker a picture.

Nishiki Market

As I walked through the market to try and find some food, I realize I forgot to really take a good photo of the market. It had some cool colours contrasting and was amazing to walk through.

Oops, I Missed Half of Kyoto

Before I went back to Tokyo, I had a few hours to walk around and as I was looking at the map of places nearby I could walk to, I realized I missed half of Kyoto. This meant that I wouldn’t see some of the most interesting shrines and views. It’s too bad, but I have a reason to come back!