Model route 01 · Mt Inari loop
How does the full Mt Inari loop go?
About 2 hours 15 minutes and 4 km from the main hall: through Senbon Torii, up past Yotsutsuji to the summit at 233 m, and back down. Take your time and wear good shoes.
Mt Inari loop at a glance
| Time | About 2 hours 15 minutes |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 4 km |
| Start | The main hall |
| Type | Mountain walk on stone steps |
Stops on the way
01Main Hall本殿
A National Important Cultural Property, rebuilt in 1499 after a war fire, with gilded trim in the style of the late 1500s.
See the Main Hall guideWalk 5 min
02Senbon Torii千本鳥居
The tunnel of vermilion gates, each one given by a worshipper.
See the Senbon Torii guideWalk 10 min
03Okusha Hohaisho奥社奉拝所
The inner shrine at the end of the double row, for praying to the three peaks behind it.
See the Okusha Hohaisho guideWalk 5 min
04Omokaru stonesおもかる石
Make a wish and lift the stone on top of the lantern: lighter than you expected means it will come true.
See the Omokaru stones guideWalk 20 min
05Yotsutsuji四ツ辻
A crossroads with one of the best views on the route, and a common place to turn back.
See the Yotsutsuji guideWalk a minute or twoAbout 50 m above Yotsutsuji (owner). The Hanei-kai lists 10 minutes.
06Kojinmine荒神峰
Walk round behind its shrine for a view of central and northern Kyoto that you can’t see from Yotsutsuji.
See the Kojinmine guideWalk 25 min
07Ichinomine, the summit一ノ峰
The highest point, 233 m, with a partial view of the city. You can draw an omikuji (fortune slip) here.
See the Ichinomine guideWalk 10 min
08Mitsurugi-sha御劔社
An old worship site with the large thunder-stone, linked to the legend of the sword Kogitsunemaru.
See the Mitsurugi-sha guideWalk 5 min
09Yakuriki-sha薬力社
A shrine for good health, with a small waterfall and sacred water from a hand-pumped well.
See the Yakuriki-sha guideWalk 45 min
10Guardian frogs of Suehiro Ōkami末廣大神の狛蛙
On the way down, a small shrine guarded by frog statues instead of foxes, each with little frogs on its back. The Hanei-kai places it on the path from Yashima-ga-ike pond toward Mitsutsuji.
Where this route comes from
See every stop on the route mapCompare the three hike optionsThis is the “稲荷山散策ルート” model course of the Inari Hanei-kai, the local shop and business association. The order of stops and the walking times are theirs; the descriptions are our own.
Last updated: