With the cessation of tourism due to the Corona virus, Kyoto has taken on a very different atmosphere. This is apparent in the closed museums and empty downtown streets, but is nowhere more evident than at Fushimi Inari Taisha.
In recent years the shrine has been acclaimed as the number one tourist sight in the whole of Japan. The approach roads were packed with so many visitors it was hard to push through. Entering into the famous tunnel of torii was not so much a spiritual induction as a physical challenge. Only towards the top of the holy hill was there any sense of serenity.
What a difference a virus makes! Visiting the shrine yesterday was a reminder of how things must have been in prewar times when visitors were few and far between. The wide open spaces provided ample opportunity for contemplation of the shrine’s rich array of sacred sites. In this way one could sense the shrine had truly regained its spiritual allure.
