612 ~ Inai Ookami, Kunifusa Daimyoujin, Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name: 稲生大神, 國房大明神, 稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Inai Ookami, Kunifusa Daimyoujin, Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Rice Life Great Deity, Land Protector Great Radiant Deity, Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Saikoin
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 13-Sep-2023  
Location: Nara
Address: 21 Takamikadocho, Nara, 630-8336
Coordinates: 34.6767,135.8289

The first fox shrine that we should find on our trip from Nara to Ise, while walking south from our accommodation towards the Kyoubate (京終 "Capital End") Station. This one is a side shrine of Saikoin (西光院 "West Light Temple"), and is a three-in-one shrine solution, with one roof that houses one tiny shrine flanked by two even tinier shrines, flanked by 2 small porcelain foxes for the middle shrine and 2 tiny porcelain foxes for each of the shrines to the sides.
 

611 ~ Mikuni Inari Ookami

 

Japanese Name: 三国稲荷大神
Romanized Reading: Mikuni Inari Ookami
English Translation: Three Countries Inari Great Deity
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 12-Sep-2023  
Location: Kyoto-Nakagyo
Address: Reisencho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0011
Coordinates: 35.01377,135.75797

A tiny gated fox shrine, still in the general area of Nijou castle. I couldn't get close, but was able to take some pictures through the gate. I was able to spot one life-sized stone fox on a pedestal to the left on the shrine. I'm sure there's a matching one to the right too, even if I couldn't see it.

Incidentally, this is also already the last new fox shrine that I should find in Kyoto this time around.
 

610 ~ Gensho Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name: 源正稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Gensho Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Original Justice Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 12-Sep-2023  
Location: Kyoto-Nakagyo
Address: 〒604-0034 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Shimomatsuyacho, 721
Coordinates: 34.699447, 135.83545

We're back in Kyoto. Of course I already revisited Fushimi Inari Taisha, but didn't find any fox shrines there that I could identify as new with certainty.

This is the first fox shrine that I'm sure I haven't visited before. It is located next to Nijou castle, which I visited my friends, and is actually really well hidden: When I visited it, it was at the end of a long walkway next to a parking lot. Today, Google image data shows that it is hidden at the end of a narrow alley between two houses. So keep your eyes peeled if you want to find it.

Inside, in the nice cool darkness of this little shrine sits a pair of tiny porcelain foxes.
 

609 ~ Obata Mokuzai-no Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 小畑木材の稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Obata Mokuzai-no Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine of Small Field Lumber
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 11-Sep-2023  
Location: Nara
Address: 164-9 Hannyajicho, Nara, 630-8102
Coordinates: 34.699447, 135.83545

A tiny fox shrine standing on the grounds of a local lumber business named Obata Mokuzai (hence the name of the shrine). A pair of tiny porcelain foxes watches over this one. This is also already the last fox shrine that I should find on my first day back in Japan.
 

TANUKI 3 ~ Saifukuji

 

Japanese Name: 西福寺
Romanized Reading: Saifukuji
English Translation: West Fortune Temple
Size: Medium
Tanuki Count: 9
First Visit: 11-Sep-2023  
Location: Nara
Address: 2403 Narazakacho, Nara, 630-8104
Coordinates: 34.70418,135.83439

A Buddhist temple that features a lot of Tanuki statues to serve as its guardians, including a rare female Tanuki with pronounced breasts and a clover covering her crotch at the left side of the gate. The others are all very visibly male.

608 ~ Shirotatsu Ookami, Asahi Ookami, Yakuo Daimyoujin, Okane Daimyoujin, Matsuno Ookami, Matsumizu Daimyoujin (and more)

 

Japanese Names: 白瀧大神, 朝日大神, 薬王大明神, お金大明神, 松野大神, 松水大明神++
Romanized Readings: Shirotatsu Ookami, Asahi Ookami, Yakuo Daimyoujin, Okane Daimyoujin, Matsuno Ookami, Matsumizu Daimyoujin++
English Translations: White Dragon Great Deity, Morning Sun Great Deity, Medicine King Great Radiant Deity, Money Great Radiant Deity, Pine Field Great Deity, Pine Water Great Radiant Deity++
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Kurokamiyama Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 11-Sep-2023  
Location: Nara
Address: Narazakacho, Nara, 630-8104
Coordinates: 34.7017,135.8258

A tiny side shrine of Kurokamiyama Inari Jinja, featuring lots of Iwakura. And not just kinda-a-lot but a LOT-lot. This shrine is dedicated to at least two dozen different deities! Some of the names are hard to decipher, since they use Kanji that I can't recognize, but I still could have added more to the list of names. But I'll draw the line at half a dozen unless someone specifically commissions me to record them all.

Watching over all these are a pair of life-sized stone foxes. The one on the left holds a scroll, while the one on the right holds and orb. There's also a little white porcelain twin-snake here.
 

607 ~ Kurokamiyama Inari Jinja

Japanese Name: 黒髪山稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Kurokamiyama Inari Jinja
English Translation: Black Hair Mountain Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 12
First Visit: 11-Sep-2023  
Location: Nara
Address: Narazakacho, Nara, 630-8104
Coordinates: 34.70177,135.82589

Located at the outskirts of Nara, this find is the result of my friends and me taking a bit more adventurous path, that would later take us across the nearby Kurokami Bridge. 

A pair of life sized stone foxes reside within, the left one of which has a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 21:44. They are attended by nine small-to-tiny porcelain foxes .