One of the more iconic photos that one can take in Kyoto is in front of the vivid vermilion Torii in Fushimi Inari. More than a photo spot, did you know that the Fushimi Shrine has a very special and important place amongst businessmen around Japan?



Fushimi Inari was originally built to honor the gods of rice by the Chinese-Japanese Hata family. From a very long time ago, it has been a shrine seen as the patron of businesses, and success of one’s endeavors were often requested on its grounds.



There are three major parts of the shrine that spans Mt. Inari. At the bottom of the hill, one will find the main gate and main shrine.



Further upwards, one may find the inner shrine reachable via a path lined with 10,000 torii. The whole pathway is approximately 4km and is an interesting hike which I will talk about in another article.



If you are willing, there is a way for you to get a torii in your business’ name! Each torii is built based on donations given, and there are several sizes of gates you can choose from. The price ranges from 175,000 yen to 1,302,000 yen.

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