Fushimi Inari Taisha (Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine)

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a shrine located in Fukakusa-Yonouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. It is a Shikinaisha (Meishin Taisha) and one of the 22 shrines (Jo-Shichisha). Its former official rank was Kanpei Taisha, and it is currently an independent shrine. The former name was 'Inari Jinja'. It was renamed to its current name in 1946 (see below). The main hall (honden) is located at the foot of Mount Inari, and the entire mountain is considered a sacred precinct. It is the head shrine of the approximately 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan. During Hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the New Year), it attracts the largest number of worshippers among shrines and temples in the Kinki region (4th in Japan [2010]). The existing former shrine family is the Nishi family. Although it currently bears the prefix 'Fushimi', it is located in the Fukakusa district, about 4 kilometers north of the center of Fushimi, Otemasu. Furthermore, while the shrine is situated roughly in the center of the parish area of Fujinomiya Shrine, its own parish area extends to the opposite bank of the Kamo River to the northwest, as well as to the Minami and Shimogyo wards around Toji Temple and Kyoto Station.