Fushimi Inari shrine and Tofukuji Temple

I went to Kyoto by myself yesterday (Saturday). I left the Institute at 7:40am and biked to the Rinku Town train station. I arrived at the Fushimi Inari Shrine before 10am. I slowly walked toward the shrine and took many pictures. I had no idea how big the shrine was until I finished the walk. The shrine is famous for its multiple tori (gate) and the two foxes/dogs that guard the tori. The tori guides one where to go, like a road marker. I just had to follow where I see tori. The stores at various spots in the mountain are rest areas. They are also almost always near some group of smaller shrines (and possibly people's graves, I could not tell, although they all seem to say "dai kami"- "great god/spirit"). When I thought I had reached the top, more tori appeared and led me up higher and higher. I am pretty sure that for one to walk around all of the shrine is a special task, like a coming-of-the-age type of task. You become an adult once you walked around the whole shrine.

I finally began to go down the hill. I took a path where not many people appeared and ended up on the residential side next to the shrine. Yes, I was lost for a bit but it was fine because I found my way and asked someone for direction. The unfortunate thing was I did not return to the main shrine building to buy some shrine charms for souvenir. I also hesitated on buying more souvenir. I only bought a bamboo bookmark for myself while I was walking down the hill and saw a store within the hill/mountain. I took the train to Tofukuji Temple after 1pm.

I was confused at first because I only saw smaller buildings inside the Tofukuji compound. I spent a long time at this rock garden for my money's worth and to stay out of the rain. It was raining hard right after I arrived at the Tofukuji station. I also thought that there was no major building for this temple, and thus I could kill my time slowly at this garden. Little did I know, as I walked further out, I found the major buildings. The major site has three special showings. I did not want to spend more money, so I did not go into any. I wished I could go into this one, where you go up to the second/third floor of the building, you can see the god statues and the outside scenery. I left there after 2:30pm and headed toward the station to go to Osaka for the day 2 event of the Tenjin Matsuri Festival.

My legs and shoulders are sore today.