# Fushimi Inari (Kyoto) > Fushimi Inari never closes and charges nothing, so the empty torii tunnel belongs to whoever is on the mountain first — usually before eight. This page as HTML: https://www.komorebis.cc/destinations/fushimi-inari - Coordinates: 34.9671, 135.7727 - Nearest airport: KIX 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. ## When to go The torii look the same in every season, so Fushimi Inari is the reliable choice when blossom or leaves have not arrived. Avoid 1–3 January, when hatsumode brings some of the largest New Year crowds in western Japan, and the early-February Hatsuuma festival. In summer the climb is hot and humid from eight; start at six. In the June rainy season, wet torii and stone steps deepen the colour but make zori slippery. ## Getting there 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. ## Kimono 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. ## Rules on location 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. ## Drone We do not fly drones here: the area is a densely inhabited district or the landowners forbid it. ## Photo spots ### Romon Gate and Main Hall - Coordinates: 34.9671, 135.7727 - Best time: Sunrise - Access and permits: Free; open at all hours. Do not photograph worshippers at prayer 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. ### Senbon Torii - Coordinates: 34.9677, 135.7745 - Best time: Before 8 am - Access and permits: Free; keep the path clear and follow one-way signs 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. - **Summer**: Light from five; the low sun shines through the gaps and throws stripes across the path until about seven. - **Winter**: Dark until nearly seven; the lanterns along the path are still lit, giving warm points inside the tunnel. ### Okusha Hohaisho and Omokaru Stones - Coordinates: 34.9681, 135.7756 - Best time: Early morning - Access and permits: Free 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. ### Shin-ike Pond and Kumataka-sha - Coordinates: 34.964, 135.7797 - Best time: Morning - Access and permits: Free; candles are sold at the shrine for offerings 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. - **Year round**: The pond is under trees and stays in shade most of the day; the candlelight carries the frame. - **Mid–late November**: A few maples around the pond turn red, the only real autumn colour on the lower mountain. ### Yotsutsuji Intersection - Coordinates: 34.9638, 135.7826 - Best time: Late afternoon to sunset - Access and permits: Free; 30–45 minutes’ climb from the main gate on steps 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. ## Covered at no travel charge Fushimi Inari, Kyoto Station, Tofuku-ji, Fushimi Momoyama, Fushimi sake district, Gion-Shijo ## Popular here - [Kimono photoshoot](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/kimono-photoshoot.md) — from $260; 15 edited photos within 3 days - [Japan photoshoot](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/japan-photoshoot.md) — from $220; 15 edited photos within 3 days - [Solo travel photoshoot](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/solo-travel.md) — from $195; 15 edited photos within 3 days - [Couple photoshoot](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/couple-photoshoot.md) — from $220; 15 edited photos within 3 days - [Family kimono photoshoot](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/family-kimono.md) — from $300; 15 edited photos within 3 days - [Reels & short video](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/reels.md) — from $260; 1 vertical reel, 15–30 s, within 5 days - [Content creator shoot](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/instagram-content.md) — from $260; 15 edited photos within 3 days - [Travel film](https://www.komorebis.cc/services/travel-film.md) — from $430; 30–45 s film + 15 s vertical cut within 7 days ## Frequently asked questions ### Do we need to climb to the top? 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. ### Is it safe to shoot there before sunrise? 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. ### Can we combine Fushimi Inari with another Kyoto location? 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. --- Komorebi · https://www.komorebis.cc