This is a major festival where worshippers from all over Japan, who worship the spirit of Inari, worship at the main shrine [Fushimi Inari Taisha] and express their gratitude for the daily blessings of the gods. During the Yoimiya Festival, held the day before the main shrine festival, stone lanterns and thousands of votive lanterns are lit on Inari Mountain and throughout the shrine grounds, creating a fantastic atmosphere. During these two days, approximately 400 lantern paintings dedicated by Japanese painters and others will be exhibited in and around the outer hall of worship, and a variety of other Shinto rituals will be held, creating a lively atmosphere.