For the longest time, I thought that I was cursed by Okayama Prefecture. After all, I had good reason for this belief. Until recently, every single time that I visited the prefecture, Okayama somehow found some way to almost kill me. On my first stint in this part of Japan, it rained so hard that I thought I would need to evacuate. Then on my second, I was flung from my bicycle while cycling in the highlands of Hiruzen Kogen. Suffice to say, you can’t really blame me for believing that Okayama had it out for me after back-to-back incidents like this.
Thankfully though, the fates have seemed to move on from their grudge. Nowadays, I can visit the so-called “Sunshine Prefecture” again without worrying about losing my life. In fact, just recently I was down in and around Okayama City for a monitor tour. The goal of this outing was to connect the demand for inbound travel with regional craftsmen. I’ll introduce a bit more of these amazing souls in the Other Nearby Attractions section at the end of this article but for now, I just want to note that my troupe and I swung by Saijo Inari while en route to Kojima.
Never heard of Saijo Inari before? Well, I guess you’re likely not alone in that regard. Despite often being considered to be one of the three major Inari shrines in Japan, not that many international tourists ever venture as far as Saijo Inari. Despite being located only a little ways to the north of central Okayama City, Saijo Inari is a complex that is firmly rooted off of the beaten path. Heck, even locals only ever really go visit it at New Years to pray to the deity enshrined for good harvests in the coming year.
Anyway, at the risk of going on one of my favorite tangents, know that these days Saijo Inari is actually one of the best examples in Japan of the former syncretic union between Shinto and Buddhism. The official name for this duality is Shinbutsu Shugo and you can find all sorts of trappings from their intertwined past. The first marker of this past relationship is the giant torii that guides you towards Saijo Inari’s main hall and adjacent infrastructure, but there is a lot more on the shrine-temple grounds too.
All in all, while I won’t say that you absolutely must get off your Hiroshima-bound bullet train for Saijo Inari, it definitely makes for a good addition to any longer itineraries in Okayama Prefecture. Outside of the New Year period, there are few people there and you can really take your time strolling around what is often considered to be one of the top shrines… errr, temples — locations dedicated to the deity Inari.
How to Get There
Let’s take a quick pause to cover some key logistics regarding how to get to Saijo Inari. To begin with, you’re going to want to make your way to JR Okayama Station via the bullet train if you’re starting somewhere else. Once there, you’ll want to ride the Kibi Line to Bitchu-Takamatsu Station (refer to Jorudan or a similar service for schedules). From here, you’ll need to walk past the giant torii pictured above all the way over to the main areas of Saijo Inari, so plan on walking a fair bit.
While the trek over to Saijo Inari is a bit of a pain, the main approach to the recently refurbished Niomon Gate is actually an attraction unto itself. Feeling very similar to the spiritual Mt. Oyama in Kanagawa Prefecture, this long stretch from the aforementioned vermilion great gate is lined on both sides by all sorts of interesting vendors. As far as I am concerned, this alone justifies the time spent making your way over from Bitchu-Takamatsu Station.
Of course, those with a rental car have it easy as they can just drive up to the parking lot right outside of the Niomon Gate. This will save you a lot of time and headaches but it kind of feels like cheating in my book. I mean, it’s hardly a pilgrimage to one of the three most important Inari shrines in all of Japan if you just pull up out front, is it? Still, if you don’t feel like walking over from the torii and have a set of wheels, this is what I’d recommend.
Note that the one time of the year that you DON’T want to check out Saijo Inari is immediately after New Year’s in Japan. This is because all of the people living within a reasonable distance come to pray here at this Inari sepulcher. While I am all for tradition, this also means that you’re going to be stuck in traffic for hours, so unless you’re coming on a bicycle in the dead of winter, just forget it!
What to See at This Inari Shrine
As with many other establishments (including Saijo Inari’s rival Toyokawa Inari), the grounds here are rife with all sorts of various shrine and temple buildings. In addition to the main hall itself and its oddly digital offertory options, the following are all worth checking out.
- Kyu-Honden
This building is Saijo Inari’s former main hall. It is the oldest part of the compound and dates from the early 1700s. At Kyu-Honden, over 30 guardian deities are enshrined. When visiting, be sure not to miss the intricately carved wooden pillars! - Kansho-tei Garden
Utilizing the style of Japanese spaces from the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573), Kansho-tei Garden contains an eccentric collection of stones that are set against the backdrop of noble pine trees. Kansho-tei Garden also has a small waterfall which is often used as a metaphorical representation of Buddhism’s mercy. - The Niomon Gate
I’ve mentioned this spot before but know that this entrance to the inner areas of Saijo Inari actually has a peculiar style that feels very Indian. It’s allegedly registered as a Tangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government and sports some recently renewed golden statues to welcome visitors.
Also, if you came by car, do yourself a favor and backtrack a bit on foot to see some of the main approaches to the complex. It’s really quite impressive. Moreover, if you hang around the main hall for a bit, you can often catch the well-trained priest clergymen inside of the shrine-temple building chanting the Lotus Sutra.
Finally, there is also a large collection of tiny sub-shrines directly neighboring Saijo Inari’s main hall. From what I’ve been told, the god of commerce and business success is enshrined at one of these, so if you read Japanese, search it out and pray for a monetary windfall before leaving!
The Other Inari Shinto Shrines
Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto is by far the most famous of the Inari shrines in Japan. It is the head shrine of over 30,000 sub-shrines across the country, and its endless array of vermilion torii gates needs no introduction. Following behind this iconic spot in second place is Yutoku Inari Shrine in Saga Prefecture. Dazzling to behold, this locale is a true hidden gem should you ever find yourself down in that neck of the woods — you’ll have to trust me on this one!
While the first and second places for the top three Inari shrines in Japan are uncontested, things are a bit more murky when it comes to third place. You see, both Saijo Inari and Toyokawa Inari in Aichi Prefecture both lay claim to the title of the third most important Inari sanctuary (note that I am purposely using this terminology as the two are both a shrine and a Buddhist temple due to their syncretic legacy). Even to this day, the debate still rages on here in Japan.
After having been to all four, I honestly can’t say which of the two I’d give the title to. Both establishments hold a bit of a special place in my heart. That said, if I had to make a decision at gunpoint, I think I’d need to crown Toyokawa Inari due to the hundreds of fox statues that can be found out back at the Reiko-zuka. If you’ve been to both, though, I am certainly open to hearing your thoughts on which deserves to be part of the trifecta!
Other Nearby Attractions
If you’re going to check out Saijo Inari’s many areas of appeal, you really should do yourself a favor and also budget some time for the other main draws in the prefecture of Okayama. At the very least, you should plan to swing by Koraku-en and Okayama Castle. The former is one of Japan’s top three gardens, whereas the latter is a picturesque replica that is a logistically simple addition. All in all, the duo should take you no more than a few hours.
If you prefer to dive deeper into the “Sunshine Prefecture,” know that I’ve already authored a rather exhaustive primer on what you should see and do. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll just direct you here to this article. In my case, I went on to see Kojima in southern Okayama, but this would only really work for those of you with rental cars. Regardless of where you go, though, Okayama is awesome, so I’m sure you’ll find somewhere worth seeing!
Until next time travelers…
