Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
zai sect of Zen Buddhism. As this temple was intended to compare with Tōdai-ji and
Kōfuku-ji in Nara, it was given a name combining characters from the names of each of
these temples.
The present temple complex includes 24 subtemples; at one time there were 53. The
huge San-mon is the oldest Zen main gate in Japan. The Hōjō (abbot's hall) was recon-
structed in 1890. The gardens, laid out in 1938, are well worth a visit. The northern
garden has stones and moss neatly arranged in a chequerboard pattern. From a viewing
platform at the back of the gardens, you can observe the Tsūten-kyō (Bridge to Heaven),
which spans a valley filled with maples.
Tōfuku-ji offers regular
Zen meditation sessions
for beginners, but don't expect cod-
dling or English-language explanations: this is the real deal. Get a Japanese speaker to in-
quire at the temple about the next session (they hold about four a month for beginners).
Note that Tōfuku-ji is one of Kyoto's most famous autumn-foliage spots, and it is in-
variably packed during the peak of colours in November. Otherwise, it's often very quiet.
| SHRINE
FUSHIMI-INARI-TAISHA
(
伏見稲荷大社
; 641-7331; 68 Yabunouchi-chō, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku; dawn-dusk; 5min walk
from JR Inari Station, JR Nara line, 10min walk from Keihan Fushimi-Inari Station, Keihan line)
With seemingly
endless arcades of vermilion
torii
(shrine gates) spread across a thickly wooded mountain,
this vast shrine complex is a world unto its own. It is, quite simply, one of the most im-
pressive and memorable sights in all of Kyoto.
The shrine was dedicated to the gods of rice and sake by the Hata family in the 8th cen-
tury. As the role of agriculture diminished, deities were enrolled to ensure prosperity in
business. Nowadays, the shrine is one of Japan's most popular, and is the head shrine for
some 40,000 Inari shrines scattered the length and breadth of the country.
The entire complex, consisting of five shrines, sprawls across the wooded slopes of
Inari-san. A pathway wanders 4km up the mountain and is lined with hundreds of red
torii
. There are also dozens of stone foxes. The fox is considered the messenger of Inari, the
god of cereals, and the stone foxes, too, are often referred to as Inari. The key often seen
in the fox's mouth is for the rice granary. On an incidental note, the Japanese traditionally
see the fox as a sacred, somewhat mysterious figure capable of 'possessing' humans - the
favoured point of entry is under the fingernails.
The walk around the upper precincts of the shrine is a pleasant day hike. It also makes
for a very eerie stroll in the late afternoon and early evening, when the various graveyards
