Fushimi Inari Shrine & Thousand Torii Gates

Located in southern Kyoto, Fushimi Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine built at the base of a mountain named Inari.

It is one of the most visited places in Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands vermillion torii gates. The red-ish color represents the sun. .

The shrine is said to be dedicated to the god of rice and sake by the Hota clan in the 8th century.

The torii gates were donated by the national and local businesses and even individuals. Cost of a gate starts at 400,000 yen for a small one. Your name will be etched in black on one side of the gate.

There is a path in between the torii gates and walking through them is like you're thrown in a different space

Aside from the torii gates, you will notice statues of foxes. Foxes are seen to be the messenger of the god of grains.

There are lots of food and souvenir stalls along the street leading to the shrine.

for sale- umbrella in a nice casing

souvenir mini torii

Sample the freshly cooked snacks after a long walk.

takoyaki

king crab meat

xiao long bao soup

Unlike other temples in Kyoto, there is no fee to enter the shrine and the torii gates.

Best to visit early in the morning to avoid the crowd or late afternoon to early evening to enjoy the serenity of the place and to take photos minus the tourists.

How to get o Fushimi Inari Shrine
From Osaka station, take the JR Tokaido Sanyo line bound for Nagahama and stop at Kyoto station, transfer to JR Nara line bound for Joyo and alight at Inari Station. Walk 400 meters to the shrine.

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Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto Tour - Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion is a zen Buddhist temple located in northern Kyoto. It is an impressive temple built overlooking a large pond. The structure creates a magnificent reflection on the water.

 The pond contains large rocks symbolizing small islands. The top two floors of the temple are covered with gold leaf.

Also in the area, there is a paved walking path leading through the gardens. The garden complex has lots of trees and pretty landscapes.

At the exit are souvenir shops, a small tea garden and Fudo Hall.

It is a must see attraction when in Kyoto. The place gets crammed with bus load of tourists from mid morning onwards. To enjoy the amazing sight of the pavilion and garden complex, visit the place early morning before the crowd gets huge or late afternoon wen throngs of tourists have left.

Entrance fee: Y400 for adults , Y300 for children
Open 9am - 4pm

How to get to Kinkakuji
From Kyoto Station, cross the street towards Family Mart where the bus stop is located. Take a direct Kyoto City bus #101 or 205 for 40 minutes. Fare is Y230. If you will take the bus more than 2x, getting a 1 day Kyoto City Bus pass is economical.

Other Osaka & Kyoto Attractions:
Arashimaya Bamboo Forest
Osaka Castle - Symbol of Osaka
Fushimi Inari Shrine

Arashimaya Bamboo Grove

One of the most photographed and visited areas in Kyoto is the bamboo groves or forest in Arashimaya.

Tall bamboos aligned both sides of the walking path and they are very attractive particularly when a light wind blow and the stalks would sway gently back and forth. Walking into the rich bamboo grove is like entering a magical world. It becomes enchanting when you hear the whistling of the leaves when the wind blows through it.

The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon when the crowd is less. You will be unable to resist taking photos but you can not capture the serenity of the place.

You can also rent a rickshaw to explore the area.

The bamboo has been used to manufacture various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes and mats , chopsticks and even used as fences .
 
How to get to the bamboo grove

The fastest and easiest way to get to Arashiyama is by train. Take the JR Train from Kyoto Station on the JR Sagano/San-in Line to Saga-Arashiyama Station. From there, you can walk leisurely for 10 minutes and there are directional signs to follow .

You may be interested to read:
Osaka Castle - Symbol of Osaka
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Kinkakuji Temple