This grand shrine is called "Inari-zushi (sushi wrapped in fried tofu)It is the head shrine of about 30,000 Inari shrines throughout Japan. Mount Inari, which stands behind the shrine as if embracing it,Southernmost point of the 36 peaks of Higashiyamaand has been since ancient times.Shinto shrine precinctsThe people have revered it as a

It is such a popular spot that it was recently voted the number one tourist destination in Japan by foreign tourists. When I visited there after a long time, it was so full of foreigners that for a moment I was confused as to what country I was in. They said that the sight of fox statues standing here and there and the Senbon-torii gate seemed very Japanese and mysterious.The atmosphere created by the shrine and the sacred area of Mt.It is probably a sense of

A "pair of foxes" sold at stores lined up near the Taisha shrine office

In this sanctuary, there are seven wonders, such as the "Oyama no Tsuchi" (earth from the mountain), which is said to bring good harvests if sown in the fields, the "Senbon torii" (a thousand torii gates), and the "Omokaruseki" (a stone to test your wish, which will come true if lighter than expected or not if heavier than expected). When I actually went around the shrine area, I found that there were more than seven wonders.

One of its seven wonders,It's a blessing to find the lost."I passed through the Senbon-torii gate and began to ascend the approach to Mt. Inari, hoping to meet the pond that is said to be the most beautiful in the world.

Senbon Torii, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

The destination pond is,Shin-ike."allEchoes of Echoes PondIt is also calledIf you stand in front of the pond shore and clap your hands, there is a clue to the lost person in the direction from which the sound echoes backIt is said to be a "pond of the gods". Before heading to the pond, you should first stop by the Kumataka Shrine standing nearby.

After visiting the shrine and making a wish, the kodama claps its hands twice toward the pond. It is said that if the kodama returns early, the wish will be fulfilled sooner, and if it returns late, it will be fulfilled later. It is also said that Kumatakasha is blessed with the luck to win the game.

As I was walking up the stone steps of the approach to the temple, a woman who appeared to be over 80 years old passed me at a very fast pace. She was walking up the stone steps with her hair disheveled and her hips bent in a crooked shape, without a second glance. I felt something urgent in her backside, and naturally I too began to walk faster.

After climbing the stone steps, the view opened up.

Kumataka Shrine standing by the new pond

On the left side of the approach is a long-established resting place, and the Kumataka Shrine stands on the right. Behind the shrine, the surface of the pond reflected the surrounding greenery. The Kumataka Shrine is a small shrine, but it is very mysterious, with many votive candles lit and the red of the small torii gate shimmering in the wind.

Mysterious Kumataka Shrine

Is it to find the lost person by hitting the oak hand twice in front of the new pond? Or is it to get the divine power of Kumataka Shrine and give it a shot?

I did not know what was on her mind, but she must have a very important request if she was so old and had come from so far away to pay her respects at such a high rate of speed. Since I had come this far up the mountain, I thought about doing the Kashiwagi clapping in front of the Shin-ike, but I felt awkward about doing so without having a clear request in mind. In the end, I left Mt. Inari this time without making a Kashiwagi hand gesture toward the new pond.

Shin-ike (Echidogaike Pond), which is said to bring good luck in finding lost persons.