Crowd forecast
How do you avoid the crowds at Fushimi Inari?
Best window: before 8:00 or after 18:00.
Tuesday to Thursday mornings are the quietest. All times are Japan time.
How busy is it each hour?
Our estimate for the shrine as a whole. 100 is the busiest hour of the week (Saturday 11:00). The dark bar is the current hour.
Crowd data last updated:
How we estimate crowdsMonday
- 00:00: 6 out of 100
- 01:00: 5 out of 100
- 02:00: 4 out of 100
- 03:00: 5 out of 100
- 04:00: 5 out of 100
- 05:00: 6 out of 100
- 06:00: 13 out of 100
- 07:00: 26 out of 100
- 08:00: 48 out of 100
- 09:00: 73 out of 100
- 10:00: 87 out of 100
- 11:00: 89 out of 100
- 12:00: 83 out of 100
- 13:00: 80 out of 100
- 14:00: 78 out of 100
- 15:00: 74 out of 100
- 16:00: 65 out of 100
- 17:00: 51 out of 100
- 18:00: 40 out of 100
- 19:00: 31 out of 100
- 20:00: 23 out of 100
- 21:00: 18 out of 100
- 22:00: 15 out of 100
- 23:00: 11 out of 100
Tuesday
- 00:00: 6 out of 100
- 01:00: 4 out of 100
- 02:00: 4 out of 100
- 03:00: 4 out of 100
- 04:00: 5 out of 100
- 05:00: 8 out of 100
- 06:00: 13 out of 100
- 07:00: 26 out of 100
- 08:00: 45 out of 100
- 09:00: 68 out of 100
- 10:00: 81 out of 100
- 11:00: 83 out of 100
- 12:00: 79 out of 100
- 13:00: 78 out of 100
- 14:00: 78 out of 100
- 15:00: 76 out of 100
- 16:00: 66 out of 100
- 17:00: 50 out of 100
- 18:00: 36 out of 100
- 19:00: 26 out of 100
- 20:00: 21 out of 100
- 21:00: 18 out of 100
- 22:00: 14 out of 100
- 23:00: 10 out of 100
Wednesday
- 00:00: 8 out of 100
- 01:00: 6 out of 100
- 02:00: 4 out of 100
- 03:00: 4 out of 100
- 04:00: 4 out of 100
- 05:00: 6 out of 100
- 06:00: 11 out of 100
- 07:00: 23 out of 100
- 08:00: 45 out of 100
- 09:00: 67 out of 100
- 10:00: 80 out of 100
- 11:00: 83 out of 100
- 12:00: 80 out of 100
- 13:00: 78 out of 100
- 14:00: 78 out of 100
- 15:00: 74 out of 100
- 16:00: 65 out of 100
- 17:00: 50 out of 100
- 18:00: 35 out of 100
- 19:00: 26 out of 100
- 20:00: 20 out of 100
- 21:00: 16 out of 100
- 22:00: 14 out of 100
- 23:00: 11 out of 100
Thursday
- 00:00: 6 out of 100
- 01:00: 5 out of 100
- 02:00: 4 out of 100
- 03:00: 3 out of 100
- 04:00: 4 out of 100
- 05:00: 6 out of 100
- 06:00: 11 out of 100
- 07:00: 25 out of 100
- 08:00: 43 out of 100
- 09:00: 65 out of 100
- 10:00: 80 out of 100
- 11:00: 80 out of 100
- 12:00: 81 out of 100
- 13:00: 78 out of 100
- 14:00: 75 out of 100
- 15:00: 71 out of 100
- 16:00: 61 out of 100
- 17:00: 48 out of 100
- 18:00: 35 out of 100
- 19:00: 26 out of 100
- 20:00: 21 out of 100
- 21:00: 16 out of 100
- 22:00: 14 out of 100
- 23:00: 11 out of 100
Friday
- 00:00: 6 out of 100
- 01:00: 5 out of 100
- 02:00: 5 out of 100
- 03:00: 4 out of 100
- 04:00: 4 out of 100
- 05:00: 6 out of 100
- 06:00: 11 out of 100
- 07:00: 25 out of 100
- 08:00: 43 out of 100
- 09:00: 63 out of 100
- 10:00: 76 out of 100
- 11:00: 80 out of 100
- 12:00: 76 out of 100
- 13:00: 75 out of 100
- 14:00: 75 out of 100
- 15:00: 72 out of 100
- 16:00: 62 out of 100
- 17:00: 48 out of 100
- 18:00: 35 out of 100
- 19:00: 26 out of 100
- 20:00: 21 out of 100
- 21:00: 18 out of 100
- 22:00: 15 out of 100
- 23:00: 11 out of 100
Saturday
- 00:00: 8 out of 100
- 01:00: 5 out of 100
- 02:00: 4 out of 100
- 03:00: 5 out of 100
- 04:00: 6 out of 100
- 05:00: 9 out of 100
- 06:00: 16 out of 100
- 07:00: 31 out of 100
- 08:00: 55 out of 100
- 09:00: 81 out of 100
- 10:00: 97 out of 100
- 11:00: 100 out of 100
- 12:00: 95 out of 100
- 13:00: 91 out of 100
- 14:00: 89 out of 100
- 15:00: 86 out of 100
- 16:00: 75 out of 100
- 17:00: 57 out of 100
- 18:00: 41 out of 100
- 19:00: 30 out of 100
- 20:00: 23 out of 100
- 21:00: 18 out of 100
- 22:00: 14 out of 100
- 23:00: 11 out of 100
Sunday
- 00:00: 8 out of 100
- 01:00: 5 out of 100
- 02:00: 4 out of 100
- 03:00: 4 out of 100
- 04:00: 5 out of 100
- 05:00: 9 out of 100
- 06:00: 16 out of 100
- 07:00: 31 out of 100
- 08:00: 55 out of 100
- 09:00: 80 out of 100
- 10:00: 95 out of 100
- 11:00: 97 out of 100
- 12:00: 94 out of 100
- 13:00: 91 out of 100
- 14:00: 90 out of 100
- 15:00: 85 out of 100
- 16:00: 73 out of 100
- 17:00: 56 out of 100
- 18:00: 40 out of 100
- 19:00: 28 out of 100
- 20:00: 23 out of 100
- 21:00: 21 out of 100
- 22:00: 16 out of 100
- 23:00: 13 out of 100
Five ways to avoid the crowds
Figures are our estimate for the shrine as a whole, where 100 is its busiest hour of the week and a typical hour between 10:00 and 16:00 is about 83.
01
Go before 8:00 or after 18:00
At 7:00 it is about 27, and at 19:00 about 28. The shrine is open 24 hours.
02
Pick a weekday, ideally Tuesday to Thursday
Between 10:00 and 16:00, Thursday averages about 78, against 93 on Saturday.
03
Go in the rain
Our estimate drops by about 20% in rain. Wear shoes with grip: the stone steps get slippery.
04
Climb past Yotsutsuji
Even at the busiest hours, it usually thins out past Yotsutsuji, about 30–40 minutes up, a common place to turn back.
See walking times for the route05
Avoid New Year and the autumn leaves
1–3 January is extremely crowded day and night, and 15–30 November runs about 20% busier. See the seasons below.
Which times of year are busier?
01
New Year, 1–3 January
Extremely crowded day and night for New Year visits (hatsumode). We don't show an hourly score during these days.
02
Autumn leaves, 15–30 November
Busier than usual. Our live score adds about 20% during this period.
03
Cherry blossom season
Busier than usual. In 2026, the blossoms peaked around 29 March – 5 April. We'll add next year's dates as spring gets closer.
04
Rainy season, 4 June – 8 July
Usually a little quieter. Our live score takes off about 20% during this period.
Does the weather change the crowds?
| Now | 12°C, clear (observed 13 Nov 6:00 JST, JMA Kyoto) |
|---|---|
| Today | Fri 13 Nov · Sunny, cloudy at times · high 21°C · 20% chance of rain |
| Tomorrow | Sat 14 Nov · Cloudy · 11–21°C · 20% chance of rain |
JMA forecast for southern Kyoto Prefecture, issued 13 Nov 5:00 JST.
Weather data: Japan Meteorological Agency
Rain keeps crowds down, but the stone steps get slippery. Wear shoes with grip.
What should you wear?
For January, a down jacket and proper winter clothing are necessary. The cold in Kyoto is much more severe compared to other places like Osaka.
Cold weather gear is essential: a heavy down jacket or coat, a scarf, gloves and thermal innerwear (like Heattech) are must-haves.
Layering is essential: hiking the mountain paths, such as through the Senbon Torii, will warm you up, but mornings and shaded areas are cold. Wear easily removable outer layers (like a coat or blouson) for quick temperature adjustments.
Early in April, mornings and evenings are still chilly. From mid-April, light long sleeves, a cardigan or a light jacket are pleasant. Near the summit of Mt Inari it can feel cooler than in town because of the height and the shade of the trees, so bring a light layer that is easy to put on and take off.
More days feel like summer: on sunny days, short sleeves or light, breathable clothing are comfortable. Mornings, evenings and the wooded paths on Mt Inari can still be cool, so bring a light cardigan or jacket just in case. There are some rainy days too.
Many days are cloudy or rainy and humid, and the hike up Mt Inari feels muggy, so drink often. Short sleeves are fine during the day; bring a light cardigan or shirt for cooler, rainy days, mornings and evenings. Long, breathable trousers or a long skirt help against insect bites and sunburn on the grassy paths. It is the rainy season, so keep a folding umbrella or raincoat in your bag, and bring a towel, water, sunscreen and a hat.
On hot summer days, most hikers go early in the morning or after 17:00.
Between 9:00 and 17:00, a short-sleeved T-shirt is fine, but long sleeves are recommended before 8:00 and after 18:00 as it gets chilly.
In the daytime a light jacket is enough, but for early-morning visits and from the evening on, you will need a warm layer such as a heavy coat, a cardigan or a stole.
Warm clothing is a must: a down jacket or heavy coat, plus a scarf and gloves, will keep you comfortable.
28–29 October: Early mornings and evenings are cold, and long sleeves alone are not enough. Bring one warm layer.
7–8 November: It will be very cold. Wear a warm coat.
Questions
Is Fushimi Inari open 24 hours?
Yes. The shrine grounds and the mountain path are open 24 hours a day, and entry is free.
Is it crowded at night?
No. Crowds fall quickly after 18:00, and from 20:00 it is one of the quietest times of the day. If you plan to climb at night, bring a light.
Is it crowded in the rain?
Usually less than on a dry day. The stone steps get slippery, so take it slowly.
Last updated: