Fushimi Inari Shrine hosts Nukiho-sai on 25 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 00:21 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha) in Kyoto hosts the Nukiho-sai harvest ritual on 25 October 2026. The shrine lists the ceremony at 11am and says the harvested rice will later be offered at the Shinjo-sai on 23 November 2026.
Nukiho-sai brings the rice harvest to Fushimi Inari Shrine
The Nukiho-sai is part of the shrine’s annual October programme. Its name is commonly translated as a rice harvesting ceremony, and the official festival list places it at 11am on 25 October. The same programme says that the remaining rice straw is burned, connecting the harvest ritual with the agricultural cycle represented in the shrine’s ceremonies.
The ceremony falls within the current travel window for Kyoto visitors. It also gives the famous shrine a specific seasonal focus beyond the torii-lined route: the rice harvested at the ceremony is designated for the Shinjo-sai on 23 November, when it is offered to Inari Okami. The official festival programme records both dates and the connection between them.
Kyoto shrine history meets an autumn agricultural rite
The shrine is the head shrine of the Inari tradition in Japan and places its establishment in 711. Its main shrine building contains five shrines together and is designated an Important Cultural Property. That history gives the 25 October ceremony a clear setting: the ritual takes place at a shrine whose identity has long been linked with harvests, prosperity and the protection of the mountain precinct.
Inariyama, the sacred mountain included within the shrine precinct, contains smaller shrines, worshipping stones and torii gates. The Nukiho-sai relates that wider landscape to the rice cycle in a direct way. Instead of presenting the site only as a route through gates, the October date points to the agricultural practice reflected in the shrine’s religious calendar. Background information is set out on the shrine’s history and precinct page.
Visiting Fushimi Inari Shrine: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Nukiho-sai takes place at Fushimi Inari Shrine at 11am on 25 October 2026. The shrine’s official programme identifies the ceremony as an October event.
- The date concerns a harvest ritual at the shrine itself. The published programme does not describe a general closure or a changed entrance for ordinary visitors.
- The shrine stands beside Inari Station on the JR Nara Line. Fushimi-inari Station on the Keihan Main Line is also nearby, with the shrine to the east.
- The visit includes Inariyama, a sacred mountain precinct with smaller shrines, worshipping stones and torii gates. Travellers should therefore expect a mountain route rather than only a single level courtyard.
- The shrine is in Kyoto, Japan. Japanese is the official language and the yen is the national currency.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Fushimi Inari Shrine
When does Nukiho-sai take place at Fushimi Inari Shrine?
The Nukiho-sai takes place at 11am on 25 October 2026. The shrine’s official programme lists it as an October harvest ritual.
What is Fushimi Inari Shrine?
It is the head shrine of the Inari tradition in Japan. The shrine traces its establishment to 711 and includes the sacred mountain precinct of Inariyama.
Where is Fushimi Inari Shrine and how do you get there?
It is in Kyoto beside Inari Station on the JR Nara Line. Fushimi-inari Station on the Keihan Main Line is another nearby rail connection.
