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This curious torii-lined avenue is one of the most frequented approaches to the temple shrine. You are in the outskirts of the city and the hillside temple to which this path leads is devoted to the oldest religion known in Japan (the Shinto faith), ante-dating Buddhism by several centuries. It is in fact so old that the origin and meaning of some of its symbols have been quite forgotten. There are literally thousands of these curious, flat-topped wooden archways spanning the approaches to various shrines belonging to this one temple (these are painted red) and similar structures are to be found before temples in all parts of the empire, yet nobody is quite sure what they symbolize. Some say they were originally built as perches for sacred birds that fly to heaven with the prayers of the faithful; some say they are architectural repetitions of a written character standing for Heaven. 
The nearer men are beggars stationed here to intercept pious passers-by and take advantage of their supposedly kind frame of mind. Notice the odd foot-gear. The clogs you see are raised from the ground by two bridges under the sole of wood; the flat sandals are of plaited straw. Do you observe that the man who wears cloth stockings has the great toe separated from the rest of the foot as the thumb is separated from the fingers in a mitten, so as to allow the strap holding the clog to pass between? These are ordinary lower-class Japanese and their clothing is all of cheap cotton stuff; in winter such garments are made warmer by being wadded with cotton. More prosperous men wear garments wholly or partly of silk. 
The prayers and offerings these men make at this temple belong to the Goddess of the Rice, and honored she ought to be, since the rice crop of the country is the people's main dependence for food. 
(See Scidmore's "Jinrikisha Days in Japan," Hearn's "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan," etc.)
From Notes of Travel, No,9, copyright, 1904, by Underwood & Underwood.

Coming and Going at the Temple of Inari, Kyoto, Japan.
Allant et Venant au Temple d'Inari, Kioto, Japon.
Kommen und Gehen im Tempel von Inari, Kioto, Japan
Yendo y Viniendo al Templo de Inari, Kioto, Japón.
Kommande till och gående från templet Inari, Kyoto, Japan.
дBHЖeHie вБ храме Инари, КIото, ЯпонIя