Visiting Fushimi Inari Tasha Shrine in Kyoto

Anyone remember Christo’s Gates in Central Park? Clearly this was the inspiration. It brought back nice memories.

Dedicated to Inari, the deity of a good harvest and success in business, Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head of all of Japan's Inari shrines. The seemingly endless path of vibrant orange torii gates that line the approach to Mt. Inari makes for an impressive setting and is one of the most famous images of Japan.

The Shinto shrine was founded in 711 before Kyoto became Japan's capital. The path leading up 233-meter-tall Mt. Inari is dotted with many stone altars (otsuka) and marked by approximately 10,000 torii gates. This long tunnel of vibrant orange torii gates is an iconic sight in Kyoto.

Companies and individuals from all over Japan dedicate torii gates to shrines because of their divine properties for business prosperity.