2^nd August was our final day in and around Kyoto, so what better way to explore the city than by bike. Usually bike hire in Kyoto costs roughly 1000 Yen (£6.50) a day to hire, but our hostel was offering a day’s hire for a mere 500 Yen! Bargain! Its such a good way to get around!

Our first stop was Fushimi Inari Shrine, which has ancient origins predating to the capitals move to Kyoto in 794. Fushimi Inari is a National Heritage site and the most important of several thousand Shinto shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Inari shrines are instantly recognizable by a pair of foxes which keep guard at the entrance. Capable of changing shape and vanishing in an instant, foxes are sacred in Japanese mythology and are said to be messengers for the goddess.

Painting of one of the foxes near the entrance of Fushimi Inari Shrine 

The central complex alone is beautiful and certainly worth exploring, at the very back of the shrines main ground is the entrance to the torii gate covered hiking trail. The trail begins with two dense parallel rows of gates call Senbon Torii (“thousands of torii gates”), it is this image that always features in many Japanese guide books. Looking down through the torii gates and these iconic aisles of torii gates appear endless. There are tens of thousands of vibrant, vermillion arches which form a path that winds through a forest and up the mystic and sacred Mount Inari.  

The Romon Gate stands at the entrance of the main complex

The Inari deity (god) is well known as the god of agriculture and business. As such, Fushimi Inari Shrine is frequented by businesses and businessmen and women praying for success. The torii gates are donations by individuals and companies in hope that it will bring them good fortune, costs start from roughly 400 000 Yen (£2500) for a small sized gate and increases to over one million Yen (£6400) for a large gate. You will find each torii bears the name of its donor on the left and the date sponsored on the right. Some torii are ancient and in need of repair, whilst others are more recent indicating that this religion is still very much alive today.

Senbon Torii - the entrance to the hiking trail

Torii Gates

One of the many sub-shrines on the trail

You can’t say you have properly visited Fushimi Inari Shrine until you have made the 2 hour trek up and around Mount Inari. As you venture further along the trail, not only do the torii become less dense, but so do the people, making the journey quiet and peaceful. On the way up there are numerous sub-shrines, each are graced by the presence of a fox and many ornamental sized torii (bought by those with a few less pennies than the high flying businessmen), a few tea houses are also dotted about. Visitors are free to walk as much as they wish before turning back; many will stop at the Yotsutsuji intersection (about a 40 minute walk) which offers beautiful views of Kyoto city.   

The trail is often frequented by dog walkers, joggers and pilgrims all year round and it was lovely to be greeted with a hearty konnichiwa as they pass.

We did the full hike, the shrine and the tens of thousands of torii are impressive, beautiful and serene. We really enjoyed spending the morning here although it appeared that Tom and James had both taken sweating to another level. It was extremely humid and hot all day!

A very busy Nishiki Market

Mini octopus with eggs inside

Next we cycled along the river and headed towards central Kyoto to see what the city centre had to offer. 

I wanted to visit the Nishiki Market, as it was a must see in my guide book. It is a narrow long shopping street lined with hundreds of shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen” this lively food market sells all the weird and wonderful culinary delights that Kyoto is famous for. 

We tasted many delicious and not so delicious samples, we call it food roulette. I particularly enjoyed the dry chilli shrimp. I've heard that many of the stores have been running in the same family for many many generations. It was great to see a thriving market which is  very much a central part of many locals lives. 

Finally, after a pit stop for some delicious but expensive frozen yoghurt, we cycled to Gion, Kyoto’s most famous geisha district. It is filled with restaurants, shops and ochaya (tea houses) where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain. Many of the streets maintain their traditional wooden frontage, the most popular is Hanami-koji Street which accommodates many restaurants and the most exclusive and expensive ochaya (teahouses).

I was very lucky to catch a glimpse of a geiko on her way to prepare for an engagement at an ochaya that evening. As to respect her I tried to keep my distance so that she could carry on her day-to-day life, however many tourist act like ruthless paparazzi resulting in an increase in complaints in recent years.

A Geiko on her way to prepare for an engagement at an ochaya that evening

Overlooking the river

After a long and sweaty day, Tom, Ali and Mary wearily cycled home. Giant and I explored the area a little more. We had a little wonder around nearby Yasaka Shrine and Kenninji Temple, took a brief stop along the river to take in the beautiful views, and made several stops in shops to sample Yatsuhashi. Yatsuhashi is a small sweet famous in Kyoto. It is soft thin squares of cinnamon scented mocha (sticky rice) dough, folded into triangles and filled with a sweet paste such as azuki bean, apricot jam etc. Scrumptious!

Finally, Giant and I headed to the hostel to de-sweat and scrub up for our final night together. We headed back to Gion for Shabu-Shabu and a wonder round the city at night. It was lovely and romantic, until we went to purchase some pudding in a small convenience shop and some tramp in the queue weed all over the floor. Delightful!  

Shabu-Shabu in a small restaurant in the Gion district 

On that note, this bought our trip to a close; shattered we fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. Saturday was spend slowly making our way back to Numazu on the local train (it took over 8 hours due to a problem on the track) and our final super at Hamazushi (a chain sushi restaurant).

I loved planning the trip and those of you who know me will know that it was of course run with military precision. Everyone very kindly bought me a lovely yukata (traditional summer garment worn at festivals) to show their appreciation.  It was perfect for Ito summer festival for two reasons, firstly I could wear my very own yukata and blend into the crowds, secondly, it was a great blanket for when I missed the last train home and had to spend the night on a public bench and in McDonalds.

This post brings our main summer trip to an end, and I really hope you have enjoyed my blog posts. My next post will be about our evening in a themed restaurant in Tokyo!!!

Marion