Route stops 08–10
What are the peaks before the summit?
Mt Inari has three peaks rising from west to east. Sannomine and Ninomine, with Ainomine between them, are on the path from Yotsutsuji to Ichinomine, the summit.
Sannomine, Ainomine and Ninomine at a glance
Sannomine, Ainomine and Ninomine · 三ノ峰・間ノ峰・二ノ峰
| Crowd now | Sannomine: Compared with its usual week, shown once the page loads (Japan time)Ainomine: Compared with its usual week, shown once the page loads (Japan time)Ninomine: Compared with its usual week, shown once the page loads (Japan time) |
|---|---|
| Walk from the main hall | No published time per peakYotsutsuji to the summit is about 25 minutes (Inari Hanei-kai). |
| Along the path | 1.5 km from the Romon Gate1.7 km from JR Inari Station |
| Sannomine | |
| Toilets | None mapped within 60 m |
| Vending machines | None mapped within 60 m |
| Tea houses | 岡本店 |
| Ainomine | |
| Toilets | None mapped within 60 m |
| Vending machines | Yes, about 10 m away |
| Tea houses | いせや |
| Ninomine | |
| Toilets | None mapped within 60 m |
| Vending machines | Yes, about 20 m away |
| Tea houses | 辻亭 |
Toilets, vending machines and tea houses within 60 m along the paths, as mapped on OpenStreetMap. Something not mapped may still be there.
What you'll find here
Mt Inari is the southernmost of the 36 peaks of Kyoto’s Higashiyama hills. Its three peaks are numbered from the shrine end: Sannomine (third), Ninomine (second) and Ichinomine (first, the summit), each a little higher than the last. Each is a sacred site surrounded by stone mounds, called otsuka, offered by worshippers.
Sannomine
The Lower Shrine site, where the deity Shiragiku Ōkami is worshipped. In the mid-1890s, probably during building work, a bronze mirror decorated with mythical beasts was dug up here; it is now at the Kyoto National Museum.
Ainomine
The site between the two peaks, where Ise Ōkami is worshipped. The stone gate at its entrance is an unusual type, a nune torii, with struts set like hands pressed together on either side of its name plaque.
Ninomine
The Middle Shrine site, where Aoki Ōkami is worshipped. The summit is the next peak along.
How crowded does it get?
Our hourly data for these stops is thin, so we don't give busy hours for them. The "Crowd now" line above only says whether it is busier or quieter than its own usual week right now.
For the shrine as a whole: Best window: before 8:00 or after 18:00. Tuesday to Thursday mornings are the quietest.
See today's quiet hoursGo on or turn back?
From Ninomine, the path carries on up to Ichinomine, the summit. The three peaks are about 175–400 m along the path from Yotsutsuji.
Turning back here means walking back down to Yotsutsuji. Going on over the summit is the full loop, which brings you back to Yotsutsuji from the other side.
Questions about Sannomine, Ainomine and Ninomine
- How many peaks does Mt Inari have?
- Three: Sannomine, Ninomine and Ichinomine, rising from west to east. Ainomine is a sacred site between Sannomine and Ninomine.
- How long from Yotsutsuji to the summit?
- About 25 minutes uphill (Inari Hanei-kai model course), passing Sannomine, Ainomine and Ninomine.
Sources
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: Mt Inari (Japanese)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: Sannomine (Japanese)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: Ainomine (Japanese)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: Ninomine (Japanese)
- Inari Hanei-kai: Mt Inari walking route (Japanese)
- OpenStreetMap contributors (paths, toilets, vending machines, tea houses)
Facts are checked against these sources and written in our own words. Not affiliated with the shrine.
Last updated: