516 SILVER ~ Takenaka Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 竹中稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Takenaka Inari Jinja
English Translation: Bamboo Middle Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 3-Jan-2019
Location: Kyoto-Minami
Address: 3-64 Yoshidakaguraokacho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8311
Coordinates: 35.02488,135.78667

We're barely out of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and already I'm getting sucked into the next major fox shrine compound. I was actually just walking along the Imadegawa Douri (今出川通り "Now Exiting Stream Road") when I noticed a big red Torii at the foot of a hill on the south of the road. Naturally drawn to it, I crossed the road and walked through the forest for a bit, and found myself at this shrine.

The main shrine already has six foxes to watch over it, and it also features a total of 16 side shrines, half of which have foxes on their own. Not nearly as many as Fushimi Inari Taisha, but still more than in some other cities that I visited combined. 

 

515 ~ Shinguu Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 新宮神社
Romanized Reading: Shunguu Jinja
English Translation: Newly Constructed Shrine Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 1-Jan-2019
Location: Kyoto-Minami
Address: 24 Higashikujo Higashigoryocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto, 601-8028
Coordinates: 34.97909,135.76352

Another year, another story. We now leave Inariyama behind, although you can still see its lower slopes to the bottom right of the map.

This is a shrine in the middle of Kyoto. Ironically, despite it's name, it is a thousand years old. Two fox statues reside within.

514 ~ Gosha no Taki Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 五社之瀧神社
Romanized Reading: Gosha no Taki Jinja
English Translation: Five Shrines Cascade Shrine
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 1-Jan-2019
Location: Kyoto-Higashiyama  
Address: 17-1 Imakumano Minamidanicho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0979
Coordinates: 34.97540,135.77875

Located at the foot of Inariyama and hidden behind a row of houses, accessible only through a small side road, there's this little fox shrine cluster, which is also the final fox shrine cluster that I should find during my visit to Kyoto. It is also located at the shore of a tiny nameless stream that runs all the way from the summit of Inariyama. In fact, a number of other clusters are named after other waterfalls in this stream, or lie next to it, such as Kiyotaki, Yakuriki-no-Taki in the Mitsurugisha Cluster and the Harushige Ookami Cluster.

Anyway, many foxes watch over this one, illuminated by lanterns and candles.
 

513 ~ Kiyotaki Cluster (Fushimi Inari Taisha End)

 

Japanese Name: 清瀧
Romanized Reading: Kiyotaki
English Translation: Pure Cascade
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: ?
First Visit: 1-Jan-2019
Location: Fushimi Inari, Inariyama, Yamashina Sandou
Address: 0804 612 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.97113 135.78452

This fox shrine cluster is a hidden gem. It's not somewhere that most people usually walk. Located on the Yamashina Sandou (山科参道 "Mountain Section Shrine Approach Road"), it lies about 150m off the Torii road. I only found it because I was so determined to walk a different way back home that I didn't care that it took me through the dark midnight forest for more than half a kilometer. Then again, a fox alone at night on the holy mountain... what could possibly go wrong?

This is also the final shrine that I would consider to be part of Fushimi Inari Taisha that I visited... for now. But Kyoto still has many more fox shrines to offer all over the city.

512 ~ Kasasugisha Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 傘杉社
Romanized Reading: Kasasugisha
English Translation: Umbrella Cedar Shrine
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 1-Jan-2019
Location: Fushimi Inari, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 21-18 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9694,135.7856

The first fox shrine cluster I should come across in this new year. This one is on a branching length of the Torii Road Loop Segment that I didn't walk on my first loop. There's only a few fox shrines here, but they are comparably big. You might also say they have more space. Or the fox population density is lower. Whichever suits your tail.
 

511 ~ Ninomine Cluster + Hatsumoude

 

Japanese Names: 二ノ峰, 中之社神蹟, 青木大神
Romanized Readings: Ninomine, Nakanosha Shinseki, Aoki Ookami
English Translations: Second Peak, Middle Shrine Divine Remnants, Blue Tree Great Deity
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: ?
First Visit: 31-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 14 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9672,135.7840

The final new fox shrine cluster that I should find this year, but not the last one of this night. This is the last cluster before the absolute peak of Inariyama, where I should go for my Hatsumoude.

A lot of people are standing in line at the central shrine of Ichinomine Kamisha.

 

I see no reason to get in line, since there are dozens of tiny fox shrines all around that for some reason no one pays attention to. So come midnight, I go to one of those - one my heart feels drawn to - and say my prayers for the new year at this tiny shrine, here at the peak of Inariyama.

What did I wish for? Well, it's nothing that has come true since. And I'm not telling.
 

 

510 ~ Ainomine Cluster

 

Japanese Names: 間ノ峰, 荷田社神蹟, 伊勢大神
Romanized Readings: Ainomine, Kadasha Shinseki, Ise Ookami
English Translations: Intervall Peak, Cargo Field Shrine Divine Remnants, Ise Great Deity
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 31-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 13 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.96704 135.78299

Located on the peak between the second and third peak, there's this small cluster of a few fox shrines by the wayside. There's no concentric circles here, and the entire cluster is almost completely hidden in the woods.