507 ~ Kasou Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 高倉大神
Romanized Readings: Takakura Ookami
English Translations: High Storehouse Great Deity
Cluster Size: Big
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805
Coordinates: 34.9679,135.7784

Did you think we were done with the fox shrine clusters? Well, wrong! At the night of the new year, I climb Inariyama for Hatsumoude (初詣 "First Shrine Visit"), and I am not the only one. In fact, despite it being the middle of the night, it's outright crowded. Outside the main shrine of Fushimi Inari, the queue goes all the way back to the station, then around the corner, and several blocks down the road.

Meanwhile, I climb Inariyama again, all the way to the summit. This time, I'm taking a different route, and as such also find new fox shrine clusters along the way. This one is one of two clusters located on the shore of Araike (新池 "New Pond"). It's dark, but the majority of the many fox shrines here is illuminated.
 

 

506 ~ Sanba Inari

 

Japanese Name: 産場稲荷
Romanized Readings: Sanba Inari
English Translations: Childbirth Place Inari
Size: Small Side Shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidocho
Address: Fukakusa Kaidocho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0806
Coordinates: 34.96850,135.77377

Due to how Japanese works, this one is actually pronounced "Samba Inari". It is located in a backyard, accessible through a small alley between two houses at the entrance of Kaidoguchicho.

This is also the last shrine that I should document today. I'm sure I visited several more, but due to the sheer mass of the fox shrines around Fushimi Inari Taisha, I'm sure that quite a number of them have slipped through the cracks.

Anyway, I'll be back in this area! And sooner rather than later!

505 ~ Hachireisha (Zodiac)

 

Japanese Name: 八霊社
Romanized Readings: Hachireisha
English Translations: Eight Souls Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: 5-43 Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805, Japan
Coordinates: 34.96863,135.77422

A tiny-to-small open-air shrine that features all the twelve animals of the zodiac. Of these, the dog of the fading year and the boar of the coming year are prominently positioned in the front. Also, there's a total of six small-to-tiny foxes to be found here.
 

504 ~ Gosha Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Names: 五社大神, 正吉大神
Romanized Readings: Gosha Ookami, Shouyoshi Ookami
English Translations: Five Shrines Great Deity, Correct Luck Great Deity
Cluster Size: Big
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805
Coordinates: 34.9692,135.7749

This is the final fox shrine cluster that I should find today (though not the final fox shrine), and it's of decent size, with many foxes inside.

It is located almost directly next to the Inari Houikuen (稲荷保育園 "Inari Kindergarten"). And there's also an elementary school somewhere around as this cute note attests.

I wonder how my life would have gone if I'd been born and raised here? Odds are I'd be a priest at Fushimi Inari now.

503 ~ Suehiro Ookami Cluster (Frogs)

 

Japanese Name: 足利稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Asahikaga Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Leg Profit Inari Great Radiant Deity
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: 〒612-0805 Kyoto, Fushimi Ward, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, 末廣大神
Coordinates: 34.96936,135.77546

This shrine is unusual because it combines foxes with... frogs. Two large stone frogs flank then entrance of this cluster, with both of them also carrying smaller stone frogs on heir backs. And in the middle of them, on another pedestal, sits a third smaller stone fox. Even the small ones are bigger than any real frog I've ever seen, though.

Beyond that is the main shrine cluster area, where pairs of stone foxes flank many of the shrines within.

502 ~ Asahikaga Inari Daimyoujin Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 足利稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Asahikaga Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Leg Profit Inari Great Radiant Deity
Cluster Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: 12-3 Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805
Coordinates: 34.9694,135.7763

Depending on how you feel about it, this may or may not count as part of the Araki Jinja Cluster. It's pretty close nearby and technically part of the same area and all, but it's also kinda separate, you know? Anyway, there's a good bunch of foxies to be found here too, so have fun either way!

501 ~ Araki Jinja Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 荒木神社
Romanized Reading: Araki Jinja
English Translation: Wild Tree Shrine
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: 12-3 Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805
Coordinates: 34.9695,135.7759

This is another of those clusters that falls in the "like, really, really many" category of foxes. Mostly to blame for that is one of its side shrines, namely Kuchire Inari Jinja (口入稲荷大神 "Intermediary Inari Shrine"), which is also known as the matchmaking shrine. There, you can get yourself a set of three fox statues depicting a bride, a groom, and an intermediary, and hope they help you find a match.

Do they really work? Meh, not really. I bought a set on my second visit in 2023 and still didn't find a girlfriend. They're nice to look at, however.

Also, this is the 2000th shrine/temple that I visited in all of Japan. Which officially makes one quarter of them fox shrines (or more rarely also temples).