Kyoto district
The place
The head shrine of the god Inari covers the whole of Mt Inari, a 233-metre hill south-east of Kyoto Station, and its paths are lined with roughly 10,000 vermilion torii donated by businesses and families. The famous part, the twin tunnels of the Senbon Torii, starts five minutes above the main hall. Unlike the temples elsewhere in Kyoto, there are no gates and no hours, so a session can begin in the blue light before sunrise and be finished before the first tour groups reach the tunnels at about half past eight.
The mountain thins the crowd as you climb. Most visitors turn back at the Okusha prayer hall; by the Yotsutsuji intersection, 30–45 minutes up, there are a fraction as many people and a view over southern Kyoto. The full loop to the summit takes two to three hours, more than a kimono shoot needs. We plan the route by fitness and footwear: Senbon Torii and Okusha in zori, the climb to Yotsutsuji in trainers.
Before you go
There are only a few rental shops near the shrine. The easiest plan is to dress at a shop around Kyoto Station, then ride two stops on the JR Nara line to Inari — five minutes — and walk straight to the gate. For a dawn start, rent the afternoon before, or ask us to quote a dresser at your hotel. Wear zori with a heel strap or bring flat shoes in a bag: the steps beyond Okusha are uneven.
The torii path is a working place of worship and a narrow one: never block it for a photograph, step aside to let people pass between takes, and follow the signed direction where the twin tunnels are one-way. Do not touch, lean on or write on the torii. Bow before passing under the main gate. Commercial and wedding shoots need the shrine’s permission. Do not feed the cats or monkeys on the upper paths.
Inari Station on the JR Nara line is directly opposite the shrine, five minutes from Kyoto Station (local trains only). Fushimi-Inari Station on the Keihan line is a five-minute walk and connects with Gion-Shijo in about 10 minutes. From Kansai Airport, change at Kyoto Station; the whole trip takes about 90 minutes.
The spots
Here is where to shoot in Fushimi Inari, with the hours that work and the venue rules.
The two-storey vermilion gate, traditionally said to have been donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1589, guarded by stone foxes holding keys and jewels in their mouths. It faces west towards the station, so the morning light falls on the hall behind it rather than on the gate.
Two parallel tunnels of closely spaced torii, each just wide enough for one person. Shot from inside with a short telephoto, the gates stack into a solid wall of vermilion; we work in bursts of a few seconds and step aside whenever someone approaches.
Light through the year
Light from five; the low sun shines through the gaps and throws stripes across the path until about seven.
Dark until nearly seven; the lanterns along the path are still lit, giving warm points inside the tunnel.
The inner prayer hall at the top of the Senbon Torii, where visitors lift a stone lantern’s head after making a wish: lighter than expected and the wish will come true. It is the natural turning point for a kimono session and a light-hearted frame.
A still pond halfway up the mountain beside a small shrine glowing with votive candles. By tradition, clapping here and following the echo shows the direction of a missing person. It is shaded, quiet and rarely visited by groups.
Light through the year
The pond is under trees and stays in shade most of the day; the candlelight carries the frame.
A few maples around the pond turn red, the only real autumn colour on the lower mountain.
A junction of paths on the shoulder of the mountain with a teahouse and an open view west over southern Kyoto. It is the only place on Mt Inari where the city appears, and at sunset it faces straight into the light.
District by district
Shoots here
These are booked from their service page; the photographer meets you here at the same price.
Read before you book
No travel charge
These come under the Fushimi Inari rate: the photographer travels out at no extra charge, and the shoot is priced exactly as it would be in Fushimi Inari itself.
Before you book
No. The Senbon Torii and Okusha are five to fifteen minutes from the gate and give most of the photographs. Yotsutsuji is worth the extra half-hour’s climb for the view, which means adding an extra hour to the booking; the summit itself is wooded and adds little.
Yes. The lower paths are lit by lanterns and there are always a few worshippers and runners. We meet at Inari Station and stay on the main route.
Tofuku-ji is one stop north on the JR Nara line and pairs well in autumn; Gion is ten minutes by Keihan. A 6 am Inari start leaves you in Gion by half past nine.
Next step
We reply within 2 hours, 9:00–21:00 Japan time. No deposit required to enquire.
