Today we went to Fushimi Inari Taisha with our friends Carson and Ziad. The iconic vermillion (orange-red) arches are called torii, and Fushimi Inari is famous for having thousands of them creating tunnels up the mountainside.
The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, sake, and prosperity. People and businesses donate the torii gates as offerings, which is why there are so many of them. The popular hiking trail winds up Mount Inari through these continuous torii tunnels, and it takes about 2-3 hours to reach the summit if you go all the way up.
Afterward, we headed back down to explore the local markets, shop, and indulge in food and a sake tasting flight. We also visited the Nintendo store, which was an experience in itself, as well as a local art store, among other stops. It’s been a fun trip so far, but Ryan and I both agree that bumping into familiar faces and hanging out with friends made the day even more memorable and made the trip even more special.