Close to the centre of Kyoto is the Fushimi Inari Trail. The trail is comprised of two loops, with very long sections of concrete steps. The Fushimi Inari trail will take you to the top of Mount Inari while passing under 5,000 torii orange gates. This day hike is moderate with an elevation gain of 233 m, but every step is worth the effort. The orange gates and surrounding nature offer a magical retreat from the city. The trail could be hiked in just over an hour, but you would be missing out. Go slow to see all the good stuff.
Route
The beginning is super busy, but the 3.7 km trail has lots of room for photos. . Plus, most people only venture around the bottom loop. The upper loop has less traffic because of the greater change in elevation. The entire trail is covered with stone tiles or steps, and they can become quite slippery. Shops can be found every 300 meters, but washrooms are much harder to find. There is only one washroom on the trail. Here is a link to the start of the Trail
Navigation
The trail is super easy to follow, however there are a few junctions where a map check is handy. The buildings are numbered to let you know where are on The Map. There are a bunch of side trails with cute little tiny shrines and other things of interest.
Shrines, Foxes and Food
The Inari shrine located at the top of the trail is the central location for some 40,000 Japanese shrines. The trails are lined with statues of foxes, which are seen as the messenger for the god of grains. The graveyards and miniature shrines are also quite interesting. On your way out, the local street food offers a large variety of tasty treats.
Nearby Trails
On the North end of Kyoto is the Arashiyama District, which includes a Bamboo Forest, beautiful river, and Mountain Top Park with monkeys.
Trip Advice
2 Hour Walk
Go to the Bathroom Beforehand
Earlier the Better, but Sunlight is Key
Strong Selfie Potential
Birds and Boars
Mini Shrines are Cool