Kyoto

The Cats of Fushimi Inari Taisha

Celebrating Fushimi Shrine's most-loved residents

Saskia Gilmour Sep 24, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>A handsome cat rests against a mossy stump</p>

<p>Surprised, this black cat spotted me from the path above</p>

<p>"Meow"! A kitten stands guard beneath one of Fushimi Inari's orange 'torii' gates</p>

<p>I can't tell if this cat is laughing or screaming</p>

<p>A cute cat peeks out from behind a tree trunk</p>

<p>A couple of ginger and white cats rest by the feet of Fushimi Inari's stone foxes</p>

As the crowds disperse in the late afternoon at Fushimi Inari, the shrine's most favorite residents come out from hiding. The cats of Fushimi Inari wander towards the quiet pathways lined with orange 'torii' gates in the thousands. Big cats, small cats, spotty cats, stripy cats - all the cats of your wildest dreams emerge from the wilderness. With personalities as iridescent and interesting as the shrine where they live, the cats of Fushimi Inari Taisha will warm the hearts of everyone they meet.

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Saskia Gilmour @saskia.gilmour

Saskia is an obsessive compulsive traveler with Japan as her #1 preferred destination. Her appreciation for Japan's unique culture was cultivated through several years of studying the language during high school and also an otaku phase about which she prefers to no longer speak.