Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of some 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan, and its 233 m sacred mountain is laced with trails lined by thousands of donated vermilion torii.
Why it's unique
This is the original of a nationwide network: the head shrine of some 30,000 Inari shrines. The researcher flagged it as marginal and notes that notable is defensible, so confidence is lowered.
What you do here is walk the mountain, through gates each carrying its donor's name, past the halfway crossing with the view, and on to the quiet summit loop that most visitors never reach.
Before you go
Each gate carries its donor's name and date on the back. The crowds stop at the double row of Senbon Torii; after 30 to 45 minutes you reach Yotsutsuji, about halfway, which has the view. Most people turn back there, and the loop to the summit beyond is quiet (the summit itself has no view).
The grounds are free and never close, so dawn is the time. Go up and down by different paths. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the summit loop. It is outside JR Inari Station, 5 minutes from Kyoto Station.
