Inari shrine, which is a guardian deity of agriculture, commerce and industry, is about 32,000 in Japan. Yutoku-Inari is said to be one of the top Inari shrines, two other ones being Fushimi-Inari in Kyoto and Kashima-Inari in Ibaraki Prefecture. The stately main building, as shown in the center of the picture, stands half way up the rocky hill. Long steep stairs run from "Ro-mon" gate, as shown in the left of the picture, to the hilltop by way of the main building. Subsidiary shrines are distributed along these long stairs. Most parts of this rocky hill are the precinct of Yutoku-Inari. The original buildings were built in 1687, however, they were burned down in 1949. Present buildings are reconstructed ones, as the third generation, soon after that. The reconstruction work was done faithfully following the original shape with lacquer finishing.
Licensed tour guide, travel consultant,
Masahisa Takaki
全国通訳案内士 高木聖久。
