Fushimi-Inari & Nara  

Where Temples and Shrines Abound

Melissa and The Hubs

April  2001

(click on pictures for larger view)

Fushimi-Inari Shrine.  The most famous of the many thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the popular deity of rice and sake. Located just outside of Kyoto, on the way to Nara.

Sometimes the torii become so dense that they form a long, orange tunnel.

Nara was one of Asia's great cities in its 74-year spell as Japan's first capital. Many shrines and temples still remain. Here is a picture of Kofuku-ji's five story pagoda (one of 175 buildings in the original complex!).  

The roofline with its golden "horns" was an 18th century embellishment.  I think that it must be a prerequisite to visit this temple, as it seemed there were hundreds of class trips the day we visited!

It is an avenue formed out of hundreds of torii (gates) that have been donated by businessmen who come here to pray for prosperity. 

The torii lead you up the side of a large hill through forests until they finally reach the shrine at the top. (We never got that far!)

Todai-ji, the largest wooden building in the world dating to 752, houses the world's largest bronze image of the Buddha (16 meters or 53 feet).  Unfortunately the Buddha was not able to be photographed.

The second most popular attraction in Nara.  The deer!  They wander the streets and parks.  And for all of you that have grown up in rural areas with deer....these were the most mangy deer I've ever seen.  The Japanese love them, all buying "deer food" to feed them by hand.