{"id":825,"date":"2008-05-28T23:53:51","date_gmt":"2008-05-28T14:53:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2008-05-28\/825"},"modified":"2008-05-28T23:53:51","modified_gmt":"2008-05-28T14:53:51","slug":"kyotos-dazzling-fushimi-inari-shrine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2008-05-28\/825","title":{"rendered":"Kyoto’s Dazzling Fushimi Inari Shrine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 32 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nMarveling at Innumerable Shrine Gates<\/span>\nFushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto Japan\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 40 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>80 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nHundreds of Miniature “Shrine Gate” Offerings<\/span>\nFushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto Japan\n<\/div>\n\n

Wow.<\/p>\n\n

Wow wow wow.<\/p>\n\n

I've lived in this part of the world for the better half of the last 20\nyears, but today was my first visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine<\/a> (\u4f0f\u898b\u7a32\u8377\u5927\u793e)<\/span>\nin south-east Kyoto, and it was amazing<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n

I'd heard enough about it to know that it had a path<\/span> lined with a bunch<\/span>\nof torii<\/a><\/i> gates, but\nI was<\/span> totally unprepared for the thousands and thousands of gates lining\nmiles<\/i> of mountain paths.<\/p>\n\n

And frankly, that wasn't even the best part, but it was such a\nvisually<\/span>-overwhelming experience for someone with an eye toward photography\nthat I don't<\/span> even know where to begin. So, I'll just start at the\nstart.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 38 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nGPS Unit in Hand<\/span>\nThe treasure hunt begins\n<\/div>\n\n

I'd found out about a geocache<\/a> at this shrine,\nand thought it would be a fun<\/span> thing to try to find it with Anthony. A geocache<\/span> is a treasure<\/span> that someone's planted somewhere such that you're\nnot likely to find it unless you look, and they publish its latitude and\nlongitude to a site<\/span> like geocaching.com<\/a>. I knew that<\/span> it would be a photogenic<\/span> trip, but I also<\/span> knew that he wouldn't\ncare about that, so adding a “treasure hunt” aspect made it interesting for\nhim as well.<\/p>\n\n

So, we scootered the three miles south from our place, and arrived to\nfind a shrine<\/span> complex that was typical in general appearance, but atypical\nin grandeur – it was huge – and was clearly well<\/i> funded. It's the head<\/span> shrine dedicated to industry and worldly\nsuccess<\/a>, after all.<\/p>\n\n

There were many buildings, and a few<\/span> large gates, but not the gate-lined\npaths I'd seen in pictures, so we headed back behind the main complex, and\nsoon spotted some gates through the trees....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 45 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>25 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nFirst Sighting<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

It doesn't come out in the picture very well, but it was almost\nbreathtaking to see them in the distance like that, through the trees. We never<\/span> did get onto that specific path, but soon came upon the start of the\ngates on the path we were on...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 30 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>40 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n“Hey, Look, It's Amazing”<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The gates are generally made of wood, although the occasional stone gate\ncan be spotted from time to time. Each has been donated by a person<\/span> or a\ncompany<\/span> (at an expense that likely starts in the $10,000 - $20,000 range),\nand each is unique. There's a wide<\/span> variety of shapes, colors, sizes, and\nages, all mixed together. Many are new or sport a fresh<\/span> coat of paint,\nbut just as many are rotting and crumbling back to nature.<\/p>\n\n

Each is engraved with “donation\/offering” across the top, and the name\nof the donor on one leg, and often, the date it was erected engraved on the\nother...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 40 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>30 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nEngraved and Painted<\/span>\nbut dirty and fading\n<\/div>\n\n

The writing is generally only on one side, which is why you don't see\nany in the first picture at the top of this post.<\/p>\n\n

This shrine has been around for over 1,000 years, but its collection of\ngates is constantly changing such that it might almost seem alive. There\nwere plenty of sections of path that had no gates at all, but you could see\nfrom the patterns on the ground that the path had been fully packed with\ngates at some time in the past.<\/p>\n\n

The paths are fairly well covered by the forest canopy, and it was an\novercast day to begin with, so both helped keep us from getting too hot\nwhile climbing, but at the same time, they conspired to rob me of enough\nlight to make sharp photos.<\/p>\n\n

You can see one stone gate in the picture below, with writing down its\nleg saying “erected on an auspicious day in July, 1921” (in the 10th year\nof the reign of the Taisho emperor). In the background<\/span>, one of the gates is\nbeing painted.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>50 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nMen<\/strike> Man at Work<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>40 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nFinishing Touches<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

We chatted with the painter a bit. He'd been hired<\/span> by the donor to paint\nthe gate, and I took<\/span> it from his black-and-orange-speckled attire that gate\nmaintenance was what he did for a living.<\/span> The gate he<\/span> was working on was\noriginally placed there seven years ago, but had rotted so much in that time\nthat it had to be replaced, so he was painting the replacement. He said that<\/span>, generally speaking, they should be repainted every four to five\nyears.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>20 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

There were plenty of gates that were less than 10 years old but rotting\nout, and equally plenty that were older than 30 years and still looked just\na fresh<\/span> coat of paint shy of new. It seemed<\/span> that most, though, were less\nthan 20 years old, and in good condition.<\/p>\n\n

Considering that I first came to Japan 20<\/span> years ago, I found<\/span> it amazing\nto realize that had I visited<\/span> here then, most of the gates I would<\/span> have\nseen then would now be gone, having been (I presume<\/span>) abandoned by their\ndonors, and replaced with new donations. There are thousands and thousands\nof gates, so I imagine<\/span> that a 20<\/span>-year timelapse video would look very busy\nindeed.<\/p>\n\n

Unlike the well-ordered, clean lines of the large shrine complex at the\nfoot of the mountain, these gate-covered paths meandered all over the\nplace, and were dotted by all manner of sub-shrine crammed into nooks and\ncrannies of the mountain.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 19 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>45 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nPlenty of Sub-Shrines Along the Way<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

It is perhaps difficult to see in the small version of the photo above\n(click on photos for larger versions), but in this picture I took<\/span> looking\nout to the side from the main path, you can see layer after layer of\nsub-shrines receding into the distance.<\/p>\n\n

As best as I understand<\/span> it, this site is the\nheadquarters of the Inari shrines (those dedicated to industry and wealth),\nso each Inari-related shrine in Japan has a presence<\/span> here via a small<\/span>\nsub-shrine. I heard<\/span> that there are over 10,000 such sub-shrines dotting the\npaths. The one at<\/span> right in the picture above seems to be one of the larger\nones; many are fairly small (say, the size of a dorm<\/span> fridge).<\/a><\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nVisual Cacophony<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Due, I'm sure, both to the mountainous nature and long history of the\nlocation, everything seems to be laid out quite haphazardly. It's really<\/span> a visual<\/span> smorgasbord for anyone pausing to really look, and my mind\nalmost exploded thinking of the photographic possibilities. Although my\nimagination seemed unlimited, in practice, I was limited<\/span> by a lack<\/span> of\nskill, the aforementioned lack of light, a lack<\/span> of equipment (I had<\/span> only\ntwo lenses with me), and most limiting, a five<\/span> year old not interested in\ndallying for photos.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 26 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>30 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nElaborate Sub Shrine<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 26 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>90 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nOld and New<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Small wooden replica gates — from a few<\/span> inches high up to a couple<\/span>\nfeet high – were piled and stacked all over the place. I wouldn't<\/span> be\nsurprised if there were 100,000 of them scattered about. The larger<\/span> ones\ncost a donation<\/span> of $100, and all that I noticed<\/span> were dated within the past\nfew months, so there must be a small<\/span> army of people making\/painting\/selling\nthese things.<\/p>\n\n

The two above are leaning against a stone<\/span> dated 1905 (year 38 of the\nreign of the Meiji emperor).<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 17 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nRacks of Mini Gates<\/span>\nalong side a main path\n<\/div>\n\n

Pretty much every shade of color that could be considered “orange” was\nto be found. Above, you can see racks of recently-painted bright orange\nmini-donation gates sandwiched between the faded orange of the real gates,\nand the almost-plastic brilliant (but different shade) orange of the fence. The difference<\/span> is likely diminished on common computer monitors (these\npictures look anemic on my laptop screen, for example), but on my high-end Eizo monitor<\/a> the\ncolors jump off the screen to almost sear the retina.<\/p>\n\n

The rack of mini gates isn't all that old.... you can see in the 2nd\npicture on this post dates from March and April... but weather was already\ntaking its toll....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a> Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17<\/span>-55mm f\/2.8 @ 48\nmm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO\n400 — full\nexif & map<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span> Disturbed<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The path from the base of the mountain to where these last few pictures\nwere taken was fairly gentle, but ended with one long, steep section of\nstairs up to this picturesque location that overlooks a lake.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f\/2.8 @ 17 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>350 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span><\/span>\nPretty Lake<\/span>\nbeyond a brightly-colored (donated, of course) fence\n<\/div>\n\n

The path continues up the mountain, but I got<\/span> the impression that a lot<\/span>\nof people turn around and head back at this spot. That's a shame,<\/span> because\nthe best was yet to come.<\/p>\n\n

Continued here...<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wow.<\/p>

Wow wow wow.<\/p>

I've lived in this part of the world for the better half of the last 20 years, but today was my first visit to the Fushimi Inari Shrine (\u4f0f\u898b\u7a32\u8377\u5927\u793e) in south-east Kyoto, and it was amazing.<\/p>

I'd heard enough about it to know that it had a path lined with a bunch of torii gates, but I was totally unprepared for the thousands and thousands of gates lining miles of mountain paths.<\/p>

And frankly, that wasn't even the best part, but it was such a visually-overwhelming experience for someone with an eye toward photography that I [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}