he shrine became the object of imperial patronage during the early Heian period.[3] In 965, Emperor Murakami decreed that messengers carry written accounts of important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines, including the Inari Shrine.[4]
From 1871 through 1946, Fushimi Inari-taisha was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha (官幣大社?), meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.[5]
Structures[edit]
The earliest structures were built in 711 on the Inariyama hill in southwestern Kyoto, but the shrine was re-located in 816 on the request of the monk Kūkai. The main shrine structure was built in 1499.[6] At the bottom of the hill are the main gate (楼門?, rōmon, "tower gate") and the main shrine (御本殿?, go-honden). Behind them, in the middle of the mountain, the inner shrine (奥宮?, okumiya) is reachable by a path lined with thousands of torii. To the top of the mountain are tens of thousands of mounds (塚?, tsuka) for private worship.