Kyoto: Fushimi Inari

 

Kyoto: Fushimi Inari

On day two in Kyoto, I was going to be on my own, so to buy a travel card was the first thing on the agenda. After searching three convenience stores nearby, normally it is available in such stores or kiosks, it was exercise in futility as none had them. The last one suggested, try Kyoto station it has vending machines providing it.

Like Tokyo railway station Kyoto railway station too is a big ‘Bhulbhulaiyya’! After running helter-skelter for almost 15 minutes to half an hour I was properly guided to the vending machine, alas! It does have instructions in English. But when I was asking for SUICA card what I got was IOCCA card. It was the regional card for Kyoto and the machine did not have SUICA. I was unhappy as I had done the most of homework about SUICA and not IOCCA. But there was no choice. I charged it with Y 2000 and set out for Fushimi Inari. Like a local Kyoto person I swiped it across the sensors and the triangular gates opened for me for new experience! [Incidentally JR pass is not valid for intra-city transport. But if you have SUICA, same can be used in many cities for local transport.]

Fushimi Inari-taisha temple is on main line Nara and is second or third station from Kyoto. Sometimes Japan too throws hiccups. The train on the next platform was cancelled at the eleventh hour and along with the announcement on addressing system an attendant was announcing it personally on megaphone going all the way along the platforms. And there was nothing but stampede on the platform. All the commuters in hurry to reach the office started trying to get in our train and within minutes it was like a can of sardines, fully packed without even an inch to move. Fortunately it was only two stations for me; otherwise it was nothing but suffocation!

Fushimi Irani-taisha is a Shinto shrine and is extremely popular for its trail of thousand Torii. The trail ends on the summit of mountain of the same name Inari, which spans around 4 kilometers. For normal person it takes around two hours to cover. For me? Did not know!

The main shrine is for deity of Rice cultivation, Inari. At the base of hill, is an ornate building of the main shrine. There are statues of foxes at many places, may be they are guards/messengers. They have keys in their mouths of Rice granaries. 

Senbon Torii or the rows of thounsand Torii start with Romon or main gate/torii, behind the main shrine. Each torii is offered by  believers who came from different strata of society. But mostly businessmen. The torii was donated as gratitude for a fulfilled wish. Like we have steps built by the believers, at Sajjan Gad in Satara.

The tourists’ books and pamphlets advise to visit it in early hours of morning, but how early, is not told! So for a common tourist it’s always late. I reached there around 9-9.30 AM and it was flooded with humanity! People people, everywhere! Somehow I don’t know why, but in Japan crowds never seem to be threatening or forbidding. Is it because Japanese are extremely well disciplined and hardly make any noise? There were hundreds [thousands] of them from all over the world but the decibel level of sound was well below the obnoxious level. Rather, there wasn’t any sound that was heard.  

Climbers were dutifully climbing on the right side while returning tourists stuck to the left! [Or was it vice a versa, I don’t remember!] Neither there was pushing nor jostling anywhere. If there is clash of interests, who should go first, true Japanese steps back bowing down in respect.

There are may be more than 10,000 torii in different rows, at places they are erected so close to each other almost giving an impression of crossing under the tunnel. They are uniformly painted in bright vermilion [Official description, I felt them to be fluorescent orange] with citations in Japanese and names of the donors painted/carved on it. Entire trail is very vibrant. As it goes through the dense forestation, contrasting to fresh green, florescent vermilion uplifts the ambiance. There are many smaller shrines on the way which serve as resting spots.

At such a resting point where snacks too were available, I was confused about my roots. There was such an explosion of races, whites, blacks, Japanese with Filipinos and Chinese with Indians apart from me, on top of it, the Mulattoes, Black-Japanese[many], White-black, White-Japanese, I could not make a damn of my being Indian, Marathi, Brahman. Really who are we?

View of Kyoto city from such points is enormous and cannot fit in one frame, even in one eye-field!

I befriended an American youth on the way by helping him take his selfie. 27 year old young boy, basically from Ecuador, now settled in States but still speaking Spanish at home, his mother tongue[ It’s second largest spoken language in States, we Indians never realize]. Naturally he was poor in English but we managed. Seeing me huffing and puffing on the steep paths he even volunteered to help me, physically. I politely refused saying, ‘It’s my job and I’ll finish it. Definitely!’ He cheered me up, so much so that when I made to the top he was waiting there to rejoice with me!

The crowds had thinned out thus downward hike was much easier. I could capture few snaps of the torii without any human being, masquerading in the picture. And show of beautiful, ornate lamps hanging from the beams and play of the light and shadows between the pillars was wonderful.

It took me four and half hours to complete the trail, more than double the time taken by a normal person! But I completed it!

For late lunch I felt like having Sushi. Surprisingly there was hardly any sushi bar. The one I found after searching for 45 minutes served only raw sushi. Sushi is always served raw in Japan; in fact that’s the specialty. But the one I had in Seoul, was cooked and that tasted supreme, so I was searching for cooked sushi. I was rather afraid to have raw sushi because my tummy is sensitive to many things and it was a difficult choice. I was on foreign land and though I had full health insurance, to fall sick was last of the priorities. I settled for platter of tempura and that was a good choice. But yes, I asked him to avoid shell fish, including octopus. I still cannot muster the courage to eat octopus, shell fish for their allergy potential.

As it was rush hour the train back home was packed to the capacity. Though being senior citizen, I got seat immediately.

Japan is the nation of Neon lights, now LCD and lasers. All major cities have ‘Festival of Lights’ going on all around the year. In the evening I set out to visit Kyoto tower which is at a walking distance from Ibis Styles. Crossing Kyoto Pedestrian Bridge to East side takes you directly to commercial district of Kyoto and Kyoto tower. The pedestrian crossing bridge inside the Kyoto station is nothing but a big, very big mall with a starred Hotel Granvia thrown in. I needed chip for my camcorder so landed in Yodobashi camera market. It is huge market only for electronic items; if you are not sure of your needs you would definitely be lost. You are lost in choices too. Fortunately I could catch hold of a young enthusiastic English speaking salesman who helped me considerably in narrowing down my choice and I struck a good bargain.

Kyoto Tower built in the year of Tokyo Olympics is not like any other towers in Japan. Like Sky Tree or Tokyo tower in Tokyo, the steel structure of the tower is not visible from outside. Metal frame is covered in steel plates and painted in white, to resemble a Japanese candle. It is built taking in to consideration strong winds in typhoons and earthquakes for which Japan is extremely prone. It can withstand both at the extremes.

You have to pay entrance fee of Y 800, in cash, of course .But it’s totally worth it. The observation tower gives you 360 degree view of Kyoto in its full illuminated glory! It has free telescopes, which give practically entire view of Kyoto. In day time you can see mountains of Higashiyama on east while Arashiyama on the west, I had planned to visit the day next.

The building houses many commercial outlets along with 3 Star Kyoto Hotel. Along with modernization of Kyoto Station, Kyoto Tower contrasts City’s historic background so was opposed by many groups, may be the propaganda worked and now it’s hardly crowded.   

I like the views from heights so was enchanted to be the part of Kyoto skyline which of course is marvelous!