Torii Gates - Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Kyoto, Japan

by Richard Krebs

Title

Torii Gates - Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Kyoto, Japan

Artist

Richard Krebs

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

The torii gates are traditional Japanese gates most commonly found at the entrance to or within a Shinto Shrine. These gates mark the transition from the mundane to the sacred. The presence of a torii at the entrance to a landmark is the easiest way to identify it as a Shinto Shrine. The first appearance of these gates dates to the Heian period because they are mentioned in the text written in 922. The gates were traditionally made of wood or stone, but, today they may be made of reinforced concrete, copper, stainless steel or other materials. Most of the gates are red, vermillion or orange in color which expresses the power of the Inari Okami. The approximately 10,000 torii gates at the Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine were each donated by a Kyoto businessman and their names are inscribed on the rear of each gate, symbolizing the modesty of the Japanese people. The torii gates follow a path that leads up a mountain and then back down again. Walking this path of 10,000 gates is an amazing experience. There is no where else in Japan where one can see this many torii gates in one continuous path.

Uploaded

July 1st, 2019

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags