November 2005
I arranged for my ex-student Yuki to come with Andy, Brit Nick, Aussie Nick ,Junko and I to
Fushimi-Inari shrine in Kyoto. I'd been with Mum in May, but we hadn't finished the walk
as we'd been too tired. The shrine has bibbed stone foxes standing guard and
was dedicated in the 8th century to the "kami" of cereal crops,
rice and sake. The entire complex, consisting of 5 shrines, spreads across
the wooded slopes of Mount Inari. A pathway wanders 4km up the mountain and is lined with
HUNDREDS of red Torii gates. There are also dozens of stone foxes. The fox is
considered the messenger of Inari, the god of cereals. There is a key in the
foxes' mouths that is for the rice granaries. The fox is seen as a
mysterious and sacred figure capable of "possessing" humans, and the
favoured point of entry is under the fingernails.
We did the walk around the upper precincts of the shrine, and the path is surrounded by trees and plants, and beyond that a huge forest rears up. Local delicacies are sold on the approach streets, including barbecued sparrow! We didn't try any though.
At the top was a huge graveyard with foxes everywhere and small Torii gates
where family members had written prayers for their loved ones. Businessmen also
visit the shrine to pray for prosperity. It was a delightful walk, and although
it was a little cloudy, the sun peeked through and kept the chill off. After
that we took the subway into Kyoto and went to our favourite all-you-can-eat and
all-you-can-drink Korean-style barbecue restaurant. It was a great end to a
perfect day.
