While in Kyoto, we visited the famous Fushimi Inari shrine, known for its thousand red gates. Though the shrine was extremely crowded with tourists, it was a beautiful place to explore, and a side path from the gates led to a serene bamboo forest. See for yourself below.
This is the main gate at Fushimi Inari shrine. 
A beautiful bridge matched the design of the shrine. 
The prayer tokens featured woven rainbow strings. 
There was a less obstructed view of the main gate inside of the shrine. 
A samurai swung her sword on the shrine’s main stage as a performance for guests. 
These bells are meant to awaken the Gods in order for them to hear your prayer. 
This peaceful bamboo forest was located just off the beaten path.
