Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Taisha

The last full day of the week long trip around central and southern Japan was spent in Kyoto and Nara. After a relaxed morning, we took a train to Fushimi Inari Taisha. The area contains a huge number of Torii (orange gates similar to the famous one in Mikajima) and countless pathways through beautiful forest.

The protector spirit of this place is a Fox, which is adorned in orange throughout the park.

Fox Overseer

Hiro and JaneAnn along a pathway

We spent some time walking the many trails in the park. Along the main paths, there were a number of tourists, but there were also areas that were almost free of people. The placed seemed to have the perfect balance of Man and Nature: more Nature than Man, which made the point that Nature always wins in a relaxed, peaceful way.

Stone steps in the forest

As we walked through, we were passed a number of times by a man who was jogging. The pathways extend for miles, and there are many hills in the area, so he was in great shape, and I imagined his mind to be in great shape as well. The last time he jogged past, I managed to get a picture:


What a happy soul!

As we left, we picked up a local speciality - freshly-made rice cakes with various toppings, such as sugar, or soy. Crunchy and tasty!