559 ~ Shintama Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 新玉稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Shintama Inari Jinja
English Translation: New Jewel Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari 
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 19-Jan-2019
Location: Numazu
Address: 1169 Shimogawaracho, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0841
Coordinates: 35.08968,138.85868

The first fox shrine that I should find in Numazu. This one features a pair of life-sized fox statues, the left of which features a kit, and the right of which is explicitly depicted as male, making this a very strong point for my hypothesis that the kits signify the vixen among the pair. So this brings the vixen side count to 16:35.

🡻Toyokawa/Toyohashi - Numazu🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post are in Toyokawa, Toyohashi or in between, and all shrines after this are in or near Numazu.

558 ~ Tenpaku Inarisha

 

Japanese Name: 天白稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Tenpaku Inarisha
English Translation: Heaven White Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Shinmeisha
Deity: Inari 
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyohashi
Address: 125 Otemachi, Toyohashi, Aichi 440-0805
Coordinates: 34.76407,137.39137

The final fox shrine that I should find in the Toyokawa/Toyohashi area. This one is a side shrine of Shinmeisha (神明社  "God's Radiacne Shrine"), and is located in a courtyard, surrounded by medium-big buildings. A pair of life-szied stone foxes watches over this one.
 

557 ~ Inarisha

 

Japanese Name: 稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Inarisha
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Toyoasa Jinja
Deity: Inari 
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyohashi
Address: Miyamae-53 Shimojichō Toyohashi-shi, Aichi-ken 440-0086 
Coordinates: 34.77822,137.38453

Having hiked all the way over to Toyohashi, I come across this tiny side shrine of Toyoasa Jinja (豊麻神社 "Bountiful Hemp Shrine"). A single slightly smaller-than-life stone fox hides within.
 

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.