154 ~ Taiheizan Miyoshi Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  太平山三吉神社
Romanized Reading: Murasaki Jinja
English Translation: Purple Shrine
Size: Small Ruined Side Shrine of Inari Daimyoujin
Deity: Mountain
Fox Count: 15
First Visit: 16-May-2018
Location: Tashirojima
Address: Nitoda-108 Tashirohama, Ishinomaki-shi, Miyagi-ken 986-0023

The only fox shrine that we should find on Tashirojima. Interestingly, this is a side shrine of Inari Daimyoujin (稲荷大明神  "Inari Great Radiant Deity"), which itself does not feature any foxes. Another curiosity is that this shrine is ruined, the 13 tiny porcelain foxes having taken refuge alongside other idols around the stone monuments in front.

153 ~ Nameless Shrine

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation: ?
Size: Small
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 15-May-2018
Location: Ishinomaki
Coordinates: 38.4148874,141.3610278

A tiny fox shrine found late on the day of our arrival in Ishinomaki. This one is located in the middle of an empty and overgrown plot in the Matsubaracho (松原町 "Pine Meadow Town") neighborhood. Like everything around, it is pretty new, with a pair of life-sized stone foxes sitting watch in front, and another pair of tiny porcelain foxes inside the tiny stone shrine.
 

152 ~ Murasaki Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  紫神社
Romanized Reading: Murasaki Jinja
English Translation: Purple Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2 (+variable number of live foxes)
First Visit: 15-May-2018
Location: Ishinomaki
Address: 5-28 Mangokuchō, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-2115

The first fox shrine that we should find in Ishinomaki (石巻 "Stone Scroll"). This one is located in Mangokucho (万石町 "Thousand Stones Town"), which is one of the neighborhoods that was completely wiped out by the tsunami of 2011 (which also related to the Fukushima incident), and it still shows today. There's lots of open space here, and most of the buildings are both cheap and new, as is the shrine. No traditional huge shrine grounds, just a little shed on a bed of gravel, with a trio of tiny porcelain foxes inside. The foxes are the only indication that I have that this might be an Inari Shrine.

🡻Shiroishi - Ishinomaki🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were in (or rather near) Shiroishi, and all Shrines until the next marker are in Ishinomaki (or on nearby Tashirojima).

151 ~ Inarisha (Zao Fox Village ~ Live Foxes)

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inarisha
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2 (+variable number of live foxes)
First Visit: 12-May-2018
Location: Shiroishi
Address: Kawarago-11-3 Fukuokayatsumiya

This is the only fox shrine I should find in the vicinity of Shiroishi (白石 "White Stone"), and yet it's also one of the most special fox shrines ever. That is because this one is located in Zao Kitsune Mura (蔵王キツネ村 "Storehouse King Fox Village"), a place where you can enter an enclosure with semi-tame foxes running all around. As such, this is one of two fox shrines that I should encounter which is actually attended to by real live foxes. In addition, there's also a pair of life-sized stone foxes watching over the shrine along with their furry brethren.

Here's a video of the whole foxy place, including the shrine:

(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)

🡻Nikko - Shiroishi🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were in Nikko, and all Shrines until the next marker are in (or rather near) Shiroishi.

150 ~ Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 9-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: 781 Shimohatsuishimachi, Nikkō-shi, Tochigi-ken 321-1403

The final fox Shrine we should find in Nikko, and once again late at night. This little shrine stands at a road corner in Shimohatsuishimachi (下鉢石町 "Lower Bowl Stone Town") and features two tiny stone foxes as its guardians.