3/16

Today we really earned our mochi! We visited on Fushimi-Inari Taisha Mt. Inari, a series of shrines and over 10,000 vermilion torii gates over a 4 km hike up the mountain. The whole complex dedicated to the gods of rice and sake. What color is vermilion, you say? We had not a shadow of a doubt about that after this hike!



After hours of walking through torii gates, you could feel the meditative quality of the hard climbing and the sun / shade rhythm each post created. Sometimes, especially in the lower areas, the gates were so thick they created dark tunnels, and we would come out from them blinking in the sun.



Lots and lots of steps, mostly up, but sometimes also down.



As we were winding down from the mountain, we realized it was completely necessary to eat inari on Mt. Inari, so we pulled over to one of the many tiny shops lining the path, and had some of the best inari we'd ever had!



Ben liked posing with all the cats populating the hill side. Nekko!