Hike to the top of the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto

“Stepping beneath the first vermilion torii gate at Fushimi Inari Taisha feels like crossing a threshold between two worlds. The crisp autumn air carries whispers of incense, curling between the pillars of the thousands of gates that snake up the mountainside. Like many visitors, I made the classic mistake: I hadn’t done any research. The iconic photos only show the first stretch of what turned out to be a two-to-three-hour hike over Mount Inari.”

“As I enter the shrine grounds, I’m immediately surrounded by throngs of tourists. It’s a sea of cellphones and cameras, all jostling for that perfect shot of the grand torii gates that lead to the heart of the shrine. [...] But I keep walking. With each step up the stone path, the crowds begin to thin, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the quiet rhythm of my breath.”

“I arrived at the shrine at 3:20am (sunrise was at 4:44am). I was alone and it was raining heavily, and honestly, I was a bit apprehensive about it all. [...] I packed a torch which I didn’t need to use, but it felt good to he prepared. I also wore jeans as everything else I have is pairs of shorts, which was fine - you do quickly get warm though as you start walking, even in the middle of the night. All in all a magical experience, and I would encourage anybody thinking of going before sunrise to do it.”