This would be the second time my group will be going to the shrine but the last time we went it was at around noon on a Sunday so it was crazy busy and in the winter so we had on heavy boots and coats making us less eager to walk all the way to the top. Still, we did go a decent way up so did get to enjoy it without the HUGE crowds. But I’ve seen some stunning videos of the hike in the dark and my group would love to do it.
The thing is I’d love to do it when there are very few people if possible. Like few enough that we can get some time alone while doing the hike to enjoy the quiet and atmosphere. We’re going in mid-may so sunrise is around 4:40-ish am and I figure hiking up the shrine at 2 am (giving us plenty of time to enjoy the hike up and explore the little offshoots) would be a pretty safe bet to be alone and be at the top in time for the sunrise. But that would mean we would need to walk there from where ever we are staying which limits our accommodation options a fair amount. Still doable but I know there are some great places to stay further away with really good train/ tram access that runs until almost midnight. So I’m wondering if anyone has experience walking the trail late at night, around 7-8 pm? Again giving us plenty of time to make the 3h hike at our own pace.
I know after restrictions lift there will be a rush of tourists getting in their postponed trips in so things won’t be the same as they were before but if anyone can share their own experiences on the matter that would be really appreciated. Was it still fairly busy right after sunset? Were you able to get any time alone on the trail?
Thank you for any advice and your experiences.
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I’ve gone super early before. It was completely empty but the lighting isn’t exactly ideal for photography if that’s what you’re looking for.
Also I wasn’t staying nearby. I took the train in
I’d prefer sunrise. The crowds are definitely thinner (mid-May is a good time for less crowds) while temperatures during mid-May are pleasant during mornings compared to afternoons. In addition, you don’t have to worry on rushing things while in the snaking shrine since you’ll have a head start in time. Are you staying in Kyoto, though? Because late evenings in Fushimi Inari are fine as long as you don’t mind the lack of views at night.
Go early morning. I didn’t catch the sunrise, but we got there around 6:00 AM, taking a express train from Osaka, and it was essentially deserted. Got lots of good pictures of the shrine at the base before ascending the mountain. By the time we got back down, it was packed.
There are pretty few people around in the evening, too, although I may be biased by recent experiences there during covid. It can get dark before then depending on the month, but if you’re also considering *2am*, I’m guessing that isn’t much of an issue?
Ultimately, it probably depends on whether you feel less tired in the morning or the evening, to be honest.
I’ve been up it at around sunset and also around 10pm.
At 10pm it was basically just a couple of runners and some cats.
But I don’t think it’s a 3hr hike. You can be on the mountain that long if you’re stopping for lots of pics or whatever but the walk up and down isn’t that far.
I only went in the morning, but I’d say….The Morning.
I would probably advise against going up Fushimi Inari at night (before and after civil twilight) May to August, because of fairly high likelihood of meeting sows with young piglets – and these encounters may not end up well for you.
Also note that most viewing terraces are facing west, so views at sunrise are mediocre at best, and if you want to experience a nice sunrise in Kyoto area than climbing Arashiyama or Mt. Hiei might make more sense.
In general: crowds die down about an hour before sunset (at least past the first major fork), because most tourist do not enjoy walking in pitch black conditions. In the mornings, crowds don’t really start to appear until 7am.
I only remember in one of Simon & Martina’s videos they say they like going to the shrine at night because it was quiet, but I think that’s because they’re very familiar with that place.
You could try to get up there for the sunrise and explore on the way down. The couple times I went there were less people the higher you were so there’s plenty of time to wander around after sunrise before most people’s reached your position.
If you’ve gotten there later and it was crowded on the bottom, there’s a branch off somewhere marked by a little wooden sign (right side of the path). It leads to a small shrine and there’s a trail just before THAT shrine on the right that wiggles to somewhere just before the top. (I think, it’s been a few years and my memory is shoddy).
I agree with the majority in saying morning. I started climbing through the gates around 8/9AM and by the time I got back down it was a sea of people. Very glad I went early!
Ps. Take enough water for 3/4 hours if you’re going all the way up through the gates there are about 1 maybe 2 water sources one of them being at the very top!
I climbed just in time for sunset and it wasn’t too crazy. Climbing back down in the dark was a beautiful and slightly creepy experience.
Early morning. Not only are there MANY fewer people, the path is legitimately difficult and can be dangerous (ie., getting lost) to follow at night. Also there are enough trees up top so that you don’t get the same sunset view as you would from other places like Kiyomizudera.
Walking the trails at night was such an amazing and eerie experience for me; I would definitely recommend doing it in the dark. I arrived around 9 or 10pm and the place was completely empty, this was during July so it was raining heavily but this only made everything more atmospheric. I don’t mean to make light of other people’s comments on this thread so far but it’s really not a dangerous place to walk at night, getting ‘lost’ or getting confronted by boars is very unlikely. I did meet one lady when I was walking on the way down, she was dressed in white and it was kinda creepy to see this lone figure slowly approaching in an otherwise dark and empty trail, going to the shrine at night isn’t a memory I will soon forget!
I would personally not get accommodation close to it just for the sake of the hike in the dark. While just getting first train would work well in general, as the sun rise quite early, it could be a bit late for your plan. So do to it when dark, I would go even earlier than 7-8 pm, like you could go at 6pm or even just before the sun start to set, there should be already way less people and by the time you go down, it will be completely dark.
To do it in the dark, for sure I would just to it at sun set, just for the sake of having hotel where you want and be able to take train in and out.
I’ve gone at sunrise and sunset, and it’s better by far at sunset. I’m not exactly an early bird though, so that might be coloring my opinion. There’s just something more magical about seeing the lights of the city below come alive after a brilliant orange sky than a bunch of hazy buildings once you reach the landing with the view. It also opens up your schedule for visiting another temple at dawn, and there are a couple that would benefit from those.
From what I saw the last time I went, there’s another entrance/exit that’s in a more residential area, and obviously no tourists used that one. And if you’re collecting goshuincho, you do want to go when there are priests around though.
If you have asthma bring an inhaler btw. Left mine in Tokyo and the hike left me gasping for air on the train. Nothing too serious but yeah it was not wise to leave it in my suitcase.
Sunrise. Very few people there before sunrise and you can get the split gates probably empty. By sunrise there will be multiple photographers set up and people moving around.
For another spectacular view, go to Arashiyama before sunrise and you can sit in the wisteria gardens and watch the sun come up OVER the mountain.
My wife and I were coming down after sunset, you see local couples go up in the dark.
When we went in the late afternoon, the crowds got thinner as we were getting closer to the teahouse. We had a crowd during tori gates section, then most people stopped or turned around as they were walking up the stairs.
One thing to keep in mind is the initial line is mostly people who just want to take a photo of the most dense Tori gate area that is only in the beginning. If you just walk past them there’s considerably less people.
Number one though is when it’s raining ! It’s a beautiful experience hiking that misty mountain during a shower
Sunrise! Sunset is nice, but going down at night can be a bit creepy.
I recommend anyone to go to crowded places as early as possible. Fushimi Inari is one of them. But I wouldn’t expect “alone time” on the hike. The trails are narrow and it’s a quick circuit. But there will be far less congestion.
Last time I went was during Obon, which is one of the busiest times to travel, and I think I got on the second train out at like 7am or something. Handful of people out, but it wasn’t bad. I could still take pictures of everything without folks if I waited for them to move off–even made a game of it.
Also, same advice for places you might have been before. Senso-ji is AMAZING super early in the morning. After it gets swamped, its pretty meh~. When I travel, I hit my “must see” places early in the morning first.
I went on both times. Sunrise is better. Less crowded. A few local kids go on some sort of a ghost hunt there at night and perhaps one or two lovey dovey couples.
If you just want a view, the rest area halfway up is way better than the top because there’s a clearing there. Can’t speak for the sunrise, but sunset is great, you can see the sun setting from there.