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.
 

509 ~ Sannomine Cluster

 

Japanese Names: 三ノ峰, 下之社神蹟, 白菊大神
Romanized Readings: San-no-Mine, Shi-no-Sha Shinseki, Shiragiku Ookami
English Translations: Third Peak, Lower Shrine Divine Remnants, White Chrysanthemum Great Deity
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: ?
First Visit: 31-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 12 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9679,135.7823

Continuing south from Yotsuji, I am now on the part of the loop segment that I did not visit before. Here, there's a row of "Peak Shrine Clusters" built on and all around local peaks of the mountain. The result is a chain of concentric fox shrine clusters.

 

508 ~ Kumatakasha Cluster (Candles)

Japanese Name: 熊鷹社 
Romanized Reading: Kumatakasha
English Translation: Hawk Eagle Shrine
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 31-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Inariyama, Torii Road Lower Leg Segment
Address: Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805
Coordinates: 34.96836,135.77860

Another fox shrine cluster next to Araike, near its northern end. This one features a number of burning candles that come across really nicely in the dark of the night.
 

507 ~ Kasou Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 高倉大神
Romanized Reading: Takakura Ookami
English Translation: High Storehouse Great Deity
Cluster Size: Big
Deity: ?
First Visit: 31-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Torii Road Lower Leg Segment
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.