Paying homage to the deities – The red corridor of the Senbon Torii gates is breathtaking

▲ Senbon Torii.

Text and photos by Huang Shiyuan

To express reverence for the deities, people erect numerous torii gates within shrine grounds. So many in number that they form a long vermilion tunnel stretching all the way up the mountain. This is the “Senbon Torii” at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto – an endless red corridor that leaves visitors in awe. When soft sunlight filters through the gaps and spills onto the ground, walking through this corridor evokes an indescribable feeling.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is located at the foot of Mount Inari, where countless red torii gates stretch all the way up the mountain. But exploring the entire mountain can take several hours. If time is limited, you can simply walk through the most iconic “Senbon Torii” and then head up to the “Okusha Honden” (Inner Shrine Worship Hall) before turning back. If you have plenty of time, you can continue climbing higher, and on your way down, you can also visit Arakisha Shrine, which is dedicated to matchmaking – here, people offer cute fox-shaped clay figurines in worship.

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