RABBIT 1 ~ Utari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 菟足神社 
Romanized Reading: Utari Jinja
English Translation: Dodder Foot Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: ?
Rabbit Count: 1 (+Relief)
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Miyawaki-2-1 Kozakaichō, Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken 441-0103
Coordinates: 34.79731,137.36587

With how many fox shrines are in this area, it might seem strange to have a rabbit shrine around, but here we are. I suppose the huge Omega Death Rabbit inside is enough to scare all the foxes away. It would take the Omega Death Fox to take it down, but fortunately for the rabbits, that one lives on Kyushu.

Anyway, I have a hypothesis as to why this shrine came to be associated with rabbits: The Kanji for the dodder plant (菟) is visually very close to the one for rabbit (兎), to the point where it is sometimes substituted for it, because why make Japanese any less confusing than it already is?

 

556 ~ Gosha Inari Jinja Okunomiya

 

Japanese Name: 五社稲荷社奥宮
Romanized Reading: Gosha Inari Jinja Okunomiya
English Translation: Five Shrines Inari Shrine Inner Shrine
Size: Medium Side Shrine of Gosha Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 9
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Kakeyama-2 小坂井町欠山 Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken
Coordinates: 34.79920,137.36898

The inner sanctuary of Gosha Inari Jinja. You have to go past the main shrine and further into the forested hill area to get there. Let the Torii tunnel guide your way. Since it's a separate building, I'll count it as a separate shrine. There's more basket-foxes here, and a total of nine stone foxes, ranging from life-sized to small.
 

555 ~ Gosha Inari Jinja (Huge Torii & Basket Foxes)

 

Japanese Name: 五社稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Gosha Inari Jinja
English Translation: Five Shrines Inari Shrine
Size: Big
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 16
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Kakeyama-2 小坂井町欠山 Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken
Coordinates: 34.79863,137.36857

This is one of those shrines that screams "HERE I AM!!!" with a Torii that is taller than most buildings in the area.

There's two pairs of life-sized stone foxes carrying baskets for offerings outside, and at least another two foxes inside the shrine itself.

554 ~ Fukuju Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name: 福寿稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Fukuju Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Long Life and Happiness Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Small Side Shrine of Ihouin
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 16
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Gōchū-74 Shinozukachō, Toyokawa, Aichi 441-0102
Coordinates: 34.80257,137.37111

A small side shrine of Ihouin (威宝院 "Majestic Treasure Temple"), located at the street corner of the temple grounds. Technically, this is still within Toyokawa, but actually, it is part of the extended settlement stretch clinging to the railroad line to Toyohashi. You can see the rice fields on either side on the map.

Anyway, four foxes reside within this shrine: A pair of small stone foxes, and a pair of tiny porcelain foxes.
 

553 ~ Chuuou Inari

 

Japanese Name: 中央稲荷
Romanized Reading: Chuuou Inari
English Translation: Central Inari
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Hanaiji
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 16
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: 13-10 Hanaicho, Toyokawa, Aichi 442-0816
Coordinates: 34.81541,137.39183

Near the border of Toyokawa, there stands Hanaiji (花井寺 "Flower Well Temple"), a big Budhist temple that features this tiny little fox shrine sitting in the shade of its bell tower. A total of 16 tiny porcelain foxes reside within.
 

EXTRA: Toyokawa ~ City of Foxes

I've been all around Japan, and I haven't found a single city that celebrates foxes as much as Toyokawa. Let's start with the station, where you're already greeted by so many vulpine figuresall over.

 

Right outside the station, there's a roundabout with an array of statues depicting children dancing with foxes.

And there is more vulpinity all around town.

 

 

Including on the manhole covers.

 

And here's Koko-chan (狐娘ちゃん "Fox Daughter"), one of the city's mascot characters (the other being the Inari-Sushi fox Inarin that you've already seen above quite a lot)

Fancy opening your own fox shrine? They've got everything you need right here! A tiny fox shrine with a pair of life-sized stone foxes costs something around 2000€, if you have it.

That was a bit too pricey for me (and they wouldn't fit into my luggage no matter how hard I tried), so instead I picked key chains of the town's two vulpine mascot characters to bring along.

 

552 ~ Kyuu Okunoin Ato

 

Japanese Name: 旧奥の院跡
Romanized Reading: Kyuu Okunoin Ato
English Translation: Former Inner Hall Remnant
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Toyokawa Inari
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 19
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: 1 Toyokawacho, Toyokawa, Aichi 442-0033
Coordinates: 34.82547,137.39219

The fifth and final vulpine side shrine of Toyokawa Inari. This one features a total of 19 life-sized stone foxes to watch over the tiny shrine. Both of the ones in front of the shrine feature a kit, which I suppose means they're both female, thus bringing the vixen side count to 15:35.