My visit to the Fushimi Inari shrine was one of my first sightseeing experiences in Japan. Seeing such a magnificent structure for the first time was an incredible experience, and it was perhaps the first time I realized that photographs can only capture so much of the grandeur of reality. It was also my first experience spending a substantial amount of time with local Japanese students. For this particular trip, we were assigned groups of about 6-8 people each, with two or more Japanese students serving as guides. Not only was this meant to encourage us to meet new people, but the guides also helped us understand how to navigate the train system. We departed from the university early in the morning, and we proceeded to Hirakata station, where I faced the obstacle of learning how to know what station or stations I needed to stop at and what the resulting prices would be. What was interesting to see about the trains themselves was how punctual they always were. Furthermore, the stations and trains were always clean and quiet.
It was a crowded day in Kyoto. I was enthusiastic about the conversations I had with my Japanese student guides because I was able to hear about their experiences having grown up in Japan. It was the first time in a while that I had a conversation with someone who was simultaneously interested in my own experiences and how the events in our lives differed from each other. I was extremely happy to be having such a conversation, since I want to explore the influences of being raised in different cultures/societies.
After we arrived at the Fushimi Inari shrine, we decided to make the hike up the mountain toward the main shrine at the top. Although we were all exhausted, we appreciated the view of the city down below and the shrine itself. On the journey back down, we passed a shop that sold souvenirs, including charms for things ranging from good health to good luck on exams. The embroidery on them was gorgeous and I loved the amount of craftsmanship in their designs.
This trip was also my first time trying traditional festival food. I tried takoyaki, a savory treat usually containing some type of meat. Overall, the Fushimi Inari trip was a great introduction to my semester abroad in Japan.
