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The story
A video of foreign tourists dancing at the “Senbon Torii” (Thousand Torii Gates) of Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto has gone viral on social media, sparking controversy. On September 7, the shrine posted a notice on its official website asking visitors to behave with restraint, citing conduct that inconveniences other worshippers. Speaking to J-CAST, a shrine spokesperson commented, “It’s disappointing that Japanese culture isn’t understood.” On 5ch forums, users debated whether the behavior at the torii gates could be compared to similar acts at other religious sites, with some pointing out that Japanese influencers have done the same kind of dancing — leaving posters divided over whether this can really be called “a foreigners-only problem.”
2026.09.10 17:58, Hiroyuki Noguchi
Videos showing foreign tourists dancing on their own under the torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto — famous for its “Senbon Torii” — have been circulating one after another on X since September 2026, causing a stir.
On the 7th, citing behavior that inconveniences other worshippers, Inari Taisha called for restrained conduct via a notice on its official website. We spoke to a shrine spokesperson to find out what’s actually happening on the ground.
Source: j-cast.com / Original article here
What people said
Would you do that at the Wailing Wall?
Would you do that in a mosque?
Go write that in a foreign language and post it there.
Japanese gods aren't intolerant like theirs.
It's the Japanese people who are intolerant.
You think?
I always figured if they're displeased they'll curse you or smite you with divine punishment.
Admission's free, so it's not like they're profiting off it.
Honestly not that different from the '90s when there were barely any foreigners around.
Inbound tourism is a national policy: "come witness amazing Japan, have a great time, then go home and despair over your own country, lol" —
it's some next-level psychological warfare only bureaucrats could dream up lol
a Japanese YouTube streamer was already dancing at Fushimi Inari…
A "dance performer," I guess they're called.
Not really sure myself.
That was a fake Japanese person [an impersonator].
Case closed.
More people are doing dances and cosplay at shrines because it looks great on TikTok.
If Japanese people do it, of course foreigners will too.
Most people probably couldn't care less what foreign tourists get up to.
The ones complaining are probably "a certain crowd."
Well, it's the almighty white folks doing it, so of course.
Maybe people from eastern Japan just don't get it since they don't have shrines nearby?
I doubt the gods want people turning their backs on the main hall to dance for a selfie with the shrine as a backdrop.
Are you a foreigner who's never heard of a kagura-den (the shrine's sacred dance hall)?
Like if I went to the Vatican Palace and took a leak inside the chapel?
Or climbed the pyramids in Egypt and started rapping on top?
It's the equivalent of walking into a chapel and busting out an enthusiastic dance.
More like strolling into a church in shorts, a tank top, and a hat, groping the statue of Mary while doing a K-pop dance.
so who cares.
It's always the people who don't actually understand Shinto who say stuff like this.
If we're going down this road, even Bon Odori dancing would count as disrespectful.
People have been carving their names into torii gates,
and haven't you heard arson's been on the rise lately too?
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
Fushimi Inari Taisha is famous for its “Senbon Torii” (Thousand Torii Gates) and is a hugely popular spot for foreign tourists. This latest appeal came after reports that dancing and similar behavior done for photos or videos under the torii gates was inconveniencing other worshippers. In the thread, many posters drew comparisons to churches, mosques, and other religious sites, while others pointed out that Japanese influencers have done similar things — raising the question of whether this can really be pinned down as just “foreign tourists’ manners.” Some also noted the distinction between the space under the torii gates and places like the kagura-den (sacred dance hall), where offerings and performances are traditionally meant to happen, suggesting the debate may hinge less on whether the act itself is wrong and more on “choosing the right spot.” Note: posts touching on political topics or sweeping generalizations about specific ethnic groups have been excluded from this writeup.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Breaking News+) thread “Worshippers held up as tourists bust out enthusiastic dance moves under the torii gates — Fushimi Inari Taisha on foreigners’ disruptive behavior: ‘It’s disappointing that Japanese culture isn’t understood’.”
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