A Thousand Torii

Kyoto’s famous torii tunnel reminds me of a key scene from the film “Memoirs of a Geisha”: The young, heartbroken Chiyo is weeping in despair after running away from the geisha house, convinced that her life is over. The Chairman, a powerful businessman, approaches her, offering words of encouragement and a sweet treat.

Moved by his kindness, her despair transforms into a lifelong ambition: to become a successful geisha worthy of entering his world. Accompanied by John Williams’ intense score, she runs through the torii tunnel, praying for her future.

The vermillion gates are Fushimi Inari Shrine’s most iconic feature. Walking through them creates a disorienting, dreamlike sensation, as if you’re entering another world. Apart from the gates, the shrine features an endless array of burial mounds, sculptures of deities and other sacred artifacts. It is so vast and complex that you could easily spend days exploring and still not discover all its hidden places.

As one of Japan’s most visited tourist attractions, it is usually packed with tourists during the day. One way to avoid the crowds is to explore the more remote and less visited areas. Beyond the iconic tunnel, where an intricate network of stairs and paths leads to the summit of Mt. Inari, crowds are thinning out considerably.

Fushimi Inari is practically open 24 hours a day, with no fences or admission fee. You can visit it early in the morning or even at night when it’s almost empty. In the dark, the shrines’s slightly spooky atmosphere provides an unusual experience. The shrine is within easy reach of Kyoto Station and is served by two lines, the JR Nara line and the Keihan main line.