596 BRONZE ~ Massha Inari Jinja (Fortune Foxes)

 

Japanese Name: 三社稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Massha Inari Jinja
English Translation: Subordinate Shrine Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine of Nitta Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: Many
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Tokyo-Oota
Address: 1 Chome-21-23 Yaguchi, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 146-0093
Coordinates: 35.5658,139.6914

The final bronze fox shrine that I should find during my first trip to Japan. This one is a side shrine of Nitta Jinja (新田神社 "New Field Shrine"), which is located just down the road from the previous shrine. A pair of life-sized stone foxes sits watch in front of the shrine, another eight ten stone foxes are right in front of the shrine, and then there's many tiny porcelain foxes of two distinct designs. 

The tiny ones sitting in the baskets are actually fortune foxes. They hold a little fortune slip in their insides that you can pull out from the bottom, and apparently, people then place them in front of the shrine.

595 ~ Sansha Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 三社稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Sansha Inari Jinja
English Translation: Three Shrines Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine of Yaguchi Hikawa Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 5
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Tokyo-Oota
Address: 1 Chome-27-７ Yaguchi, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 146-0093
Coordinates: 35.56489,139.69262

A small side shrine of Yaguchi Hikawa Jinja (矢口氷川神社 "Dart Mouth Ice River Shrine"). A pair of tiny porcelain foxes  sits on the porch of the shrine, and a pair of life-sized stone foxes sits watch on pedestals outside. The right one of these features a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 19:43.
 

594 ~ Toyouke Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name: 豊受稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Toyouke Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Bountiful Catch Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Tokyo-Oota
Address: 2 Chome-11-28 Yaguchi, Ota City, Tokyo 146-0093
Coordinates: 35.56336,139.69148

I'm now across the river, and thus officially back in Tokyo again. This tiny shrine hides at the back of a coffee store, well out of sight. I only found it because it was marked on Google maps, and I specifically targeted Inari Shrines for this stray. After all, I want to reach that magical 600 milestone!

Anyway, there's at least three tiny porcelain foxes inside this little shrine, two of which are gilded. There might be a fourth one hiding behind the leaves to the left, but we can't be sure.
 

593 ~ Saiwai Inarisha

 

Japanese Name: 幸稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Saiwai Inarisha
English Translation: Happiness Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Kawasaki
Address: 1 Chome-11-7 Nakasaiwaichō, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken 212-0012
Coordinates: 35.53763,139.69340

A happy little fox shrine that was moved to its present location when the neighboring Saiwaichou Elementary School was built. A pair of life-sized stone foxes watches over this one.
 

592 ~ Kawasaki Ichiba Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 川崎市場稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Kawasaki Ichiba Inari Jinja
English Translation: River Cape Market Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Kawasaki
Address: 3-2 Higashidacho, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0005
Coordinates: 3 Chome-143-7 Minamisaiwaicho, Saiwai Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 212-0016

A tiny fox shrine next to a wholesale market. A pair of life-sized stone foxes watch over this.
 

591 ~ Higashimori Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 東森稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Higashimori Inari Jinja
English Translation: East Forest Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Kawasaki
Address: 3-2 Higashidacho, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0005
Coordinates: 35.52858,139.70142

A tiny fox shrine next to Higashida Kouen (東田公園 "East Field Park"), which is actually more of an inner courtyard between apartment blocks. The shrine itself is locked behind gates. A pair of life-sized stone foxes watch over this shrine.

590 ~ Kawasaki Inarisha

 

Japanese Name: 川崎稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Kawasaki Inarisha
English Translation: River Cape Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 2-Feb-2019  
Location: Kawasaki
Address: 〒210-0001 Kanagawa, Kawasaki, Kawasaki Ward, Honcho, 2 Chome−10-9 川崎稲荷神社
Coordinates: 35.53505,139.70581

It is now only a few days before the end of my first and longest stay in Japan ends. During my year here, I have visited almost 600 fox shrines all around the land.

It goes without saying that I should not let it end this close to the psychologically important milestone mark, and so I embark on an epic stray around Kawasaki and southern Tokyo to find a few more fox shrines.

This is the first one that I should find on that tour. Hidden between tall apartment blocks, it is watched over by two life-sized stone foxes, and a pair of tiny porcelain foxes reside within.