ArticleKey#25: A "Red Gates Riot"

Sumiyoshi Shrine in Fukuoka is one of about 80,000 shrines in Japan. Neat and welcoming, quiet and somewhat quaint, clearly marked by distinctive red gates symbolizing the borderline between the world of men and the realm of gods - it is likely a typical representation of most of Japanese shrines. However, there are several that take it to an altogether different level. 

As red gates are placed at a shrine entrance, there is usually no more than two or three of them per shrine (often, just one). Fushimi Inari Shrine in southern Kyoto sports thousands of such gates - next to and, almost literally, on top of each other - each being a donation, each donor's name inscribed on the back of the gate.

The shrine is among the most important and popular in Japan, and it owes its significance to its divine patron. Inari is a Shinto god of rice, a synonym of “wealth” and “prosperity” for Japan, and his shrine would draw thousands upon thousands of pilgrims praying for a bountiful harvest. With a following like that, the god could afford being different - and flaunting his difference. To start with, he would employ foxes as personal messengers - and there are almost as many foxes around Fushimi grounds as there are red gates

The grounds themselves cannot possibly be mistaken for a park, either. They are much more similar to a mountainous forest that, but for multiple stairs built to accommodate throngs of pilgrims and tourists, would be perfect for mountain biking. Even as it is, the area provides excellent opportunities for exercising, as a trip to the sanctuary up the mountain and back might take more than three hours, all the while rewarding newly-minted “athletes” with plenty of fresh air and occasional spectacular views of Kyoto   

Last but definitely not least, there is the upper sanctuary itself - the pinnacle of the trip to the shrine, in more than one sense. 

A complex and somewhat mysterious construction that is likely to be perceived in a very different way by devotees of Inari - as opposed to random tourists. One can't help belonging to the latter tribe but, based on my personal experience, it's worth trying to step into the former's spiritual shoes - and to pretend to yourself that the climb has been more than just an aerobic exercise with a view (or many views). Retracing pilgrims' steps with a right mindset really helps to connect to the core of the country and its unique and ancient culture.