43 ~ Haneda Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  羽田稲荷神社 
English Reading: Haneda Inari Jinja
English Translation: Feather Field Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine (of Haneda Jinja)
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 11
First Visit: 1-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-9-12 Honhaneda, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 144-0044

The final foxy side shrine of Haneda Jinja, and probably the original one, given its name. This one does not feature a foxy billboard, but it has the most foxes of all the side shrines here, arranged in an asymmetrical formation. It is also the smallest of the three vulpine side shrines at this side, consisting only of a tiny shrine under a wall-less roof.

42 ~ Mashida Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  増田稲荷神社
English Reading: Mashida Inari Jinja
English Translation: Augmented Field Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine (of Haneda Jinja)
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 1-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-9-12 Honhaneda, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 144-0044

Another foxy side shrine of Haneda Jinja, this one, too, featuring a billboard with a cute fox drawing on it (at least when I went to see it the first time, as those were not present anymore in during my latest visit in 2023). The Oota-ku (大田区 "Great Field Ward") of Tokyo is, in fact, a hot spot for fox shrines, which is probably in no small part due to one very prominent shrine that I am about to visit here. In fact, if you look at the right spot on the map (and are able to decipher the tiny kanji), you might already realize where this is going.

41 ~ Reinou Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  鈴納稲荷神社
English Reading: Reinou Inari Jinja
English Translation: Small-Bell Obtaining Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine (of Haneda Jinja)
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 7
First Visit: 1-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-9-12 Honhaneda, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 144-0044

Back across the Tama river, I have now returned to Tokyo. And right across the bridge lies Haneda Jinja (羽田神社 "Feather Field Shrine"), which is totally related to the nearby Haneda Airport. You see, at that Shrine you can buy charms for safety on plane travels, and write prayer plaques for the safety of friends and family. Apart from that, it does not only feature one but three vulpine side shrines, of which this one is the first. Not only are there a total of 7 foxes around, but also does the explanatory billboard outside feature a cute fox drawing. A shame I can't read it though. By the way, Haneda Jinja was recently rebuilt, so today these Shrines look a little bit different. Sadly, they no longer have those cute foxy billboards, so this photograph is the only memory that remains of it.

40 ~ Daishi Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  大師稲荷神社
English Reading: Daishi Inari Jinja
English Translation: Great Master Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4 (relief)
First Visit: 1-Apr-2018
Location: Kawasaki
Address: 3 Chome-5-1 Nakaze, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0818

This fox shrine is different from those I encountered before. It doesn't have any fox statues, but instead features artful fox reliefs carved into the sockets of the traditional stone lamps, which makes it all the more special. Also take note how the foxes in these reliefs always come in pairs.

39 ~ Fujimori Inari Jinja

Japanese Name:  藤森稲荷神社
English Reading: Fujimori Inari Jinja
English Translation: Wisteria Forest Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 29
First Visit: 1-Apr-2018
Location: Kawasaki
Address: 2 Chome-12-10 Daishi Ekimae, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken 210-0802

This Shrine is a first in two regards. For starters, it is the first fox shrine that I find in April, and secondly, it is the first fox shrine that I find outside of Tokyo. Located on the south side of Tamagawa (多摩川 "Frequent Scrapes River"), Kawasaki directly continues the metropolitan area of Tokyo with the river as its seam, so it doesn't actually feel like I have left the city at all, but anyway. Not only are there many little foxes here, but there's also a Matsuri going on, which, in fact, is the reason why I came here today in the first place: The Kanamara Matsuri of Kanayama Jinja (金山神社 "Gold Mountain Shrine"), which is definitely not PG13, but if you want to read about it, you can do so here.

38 ~ Kakuho Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name:  鶴歩稲荷大明神
English Reading: Kakuho Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Walking Crane Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 29-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Koto
Address: 3 Chome-9-2 Kiba, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0042

 

The final fox shrine of today's stray. Located on the other side of Kiba Kouen (木場公園 "Luberyard Park"), it can be found on a street corner next to a smaller park between two blocks of buildings. Fitting in with the lumberyard theme, it is surrounded by wooden fences. A pair of foxes watch over this shrine, the left one holding a scroll and the right one a hoshi-no-tama.
 

37 ~ Hata Inari

 

Japanese Name:  八多稲荷
English Reading: Hata Inari
English Translation: Eight Many Inari
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 29-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Koto
Address: 5 Chome-12-10 Toyo, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0016

Actually two tiny shrines below one roof in an artful garden featuring a koi pond, I figured that's enough to consider this one as a small-category shrine. The pair of foxes watching over this shrine sit a bit of a distance away from the path on rock pedestals.

36 ~ Senki Inari

 

Japanese Name:  仙氣稲荷
English Reading: Senki Inari
English Translation: Hermit Spirit Inari
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 29-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Koto
Address: 4 Chome-7-17 Minamisuna, Kōtō-ku, Tōkyō-to 136-0076

On an empty lot next to a junction of side streets stands (or stood) this tiny fox shrine with two little foxes watching over it. Recent image data suggests that the shrine is no longer there, however, with only the Torii and pedestal remaining. I wonder whatever happened to it. Incidentally, it also shares a name with the previous shrine, which is located only a block away. Maybe that has something to do with the mystery.

35 ~ Senki Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  仙氣稲荷神社
English Reading: Senki Inari Jinja
English Translation: Hermit Spirit Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 29-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Koto
Address: 3 Chome-4-2 Minamisuna, Kōtō-ku, Tōkyō-to 136-0076

The first fox shrine that I should find on my stray through Koto on 29-Mar-2018. This one is located at the back of a small apartment block with a bar at the bottom, but the flags of the shrine are still visible from the main street. The fox on the right features a kit, bringing the vixen side count to 1:8.

34 ~ Shiragiku Inari Shrine (Ceremony)

 

Japanese Name:  白菊稲荷神社
English Reading: Shiragiku Inari Jinja
English Translation: White Chrysanthemum Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 27-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Chiyoda
Coordinates: 35.6988343,139.7481253

A tiny Inari Shrine that is difficult to find, because you need to walk through a narrow gap between two buildings to get there. Also, a very special shrine again to me personally, since this is where I attended a Shinto shrine renewal ceremony. And only because my attention was caught by this random notice on the street.

This one is an invitation to the Hatsuuma Matsuri (初午祭 "First Horse Festival"), which refers to the first horse day in any month of the originally Chinese lunar calendar, and specifically the one of the second lunar month, which is apparently a traditional day of worship at fox shrines such as this one. Now, while I am not familiar with the Chinese lunar calendar, at least in this case I can say for sure that Hatsuuma fell on Tuesday the 27th of March in 2018, and after some searching I was able to find the Shrine, and even more amazingly, not only partake in but also record the Shinto ceremony taking place.

(Click here to view the video if the website fails to load it)

33 ~ Myoufuku Inari Sonten

 

Japanese Name:  妙福稲荷尊天
English Reading: Myoufuku Inari Sonten
English Translation: Equisite Fortune Inari Revered Heavens
Size: Side Shrine
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 36
First Visit: 27-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinjuku
Coordinates: 35.6989946,139.7244384

A little Side Shrine of Zuikouji (瑞光寺 "Congratulating Light Temple"), and the shrine with the highest number of little foxes watching over it that I have found by then, surpassing Itoku Inari Jinja by a factor of 3! Imagine my delight upon finding this one. I'm actually not sure if this one still exists in this form today, because imagery from Google suggests that it has been rebuilt and does no longer feature three dozen foxes. So if you happen to be in the area, drop by and see if the foxes are still there.

32 ~ Inarisha

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷社
English Reading: Inarisha
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 27-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinjuku
Coordinates: 35.7030243,139.7363435

The first of three fox shrines that I should find on this day. This one is a really tiny Inari shrine fashioned from crude stone slabs, standing in the corner of a parking lot next to a house. And yet, the little interior space is lovingly decorated and features a pair of foxes that watch over it. I'm not even entirely sure that it even has an official name. However, I am reasonably sure that the little metal symbol inside behind the offering plate and between the two foxes denotes it as an Inari shrine.

31 ~ Shin'ei Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  新栄稲荷神社
English Reading: Shin'ei Inari Jinja
English Translation: New Glory Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinjuku
Coordinates: 35.6943505,139.6960863

The final fox shrine that I should find on my stray today. Located next to a really tall skyscraper, this tiny shrine looks even smaller by comparison. And yet, it's immaculately taken care of, just like the building at the foot of which it is located. A pair of foxes, one holding a scroll of teachings, the other a Hoshi-no-Tama in their respective maws, watches over this shrine.

30 ~ Kurumishita Inarisha

Japanese Name:  胡桃下稲荷社
English Reading: Kurumishita Inarisha
English Translation: Under the Walnuts Inari Shrine
Size: Side Shrine
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinjuku
Address: 2 Chome-11-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to 160-0023

Though daylight fades, my will to visit more fox shrines stays strong. As a result, I come across this little shrine with four foxes watching over it. This one is a Side Shrine of Juniso Kumano Jinja (十二社熊野神社 "Twelve Shrines Bear Field Shrine"), located at one side of the Shinjuku Central Park, which as the name implies is home to a total of eleven smaller side shrines. Next to that is also the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, which has a free observatory deck on the upper floors, making this particular area a great spot to visit for a wide number of reasons. On clear days, you can even see Mt. Fuji from there.

29 ~ Ooyama Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  大山稲荷神社
English Reading: Ooyama Inari Jinja
English Translation: Great Mountain Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shibuya
Address: 2 Chome-20-8 Dōgenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0043

A small Inari shrine with a pair of foxes watching over it. It's amazing how many different designs the big fox statues at the entrance of shrines come in, which is most likely because they are custom-made by local masons for each shrine, so each pair is unique. I mean, sure, there's also some that are clearly mass-produced, but for the most part, if you come to a shrine with big fox statues at its gate, they are more likely to be unique than not.

28 ~ Chiyoda Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  千代田稲荷神社
English Reading: Chiyoda Inari Jinja
English Translation: Thousand Generations Field Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shibuya
Address: 2 Chome-20-8 Dōgenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0043

This shrine is another first one, and further reinforces my theory that the foxes at these shrines are meant to be male-female pairs. The one on the right has a kit, bringing the vixen side count to 1:7, while the one on the left bears parts which - while not really anatomically correct - still indubitably mark him as a male. 

 

Wolf 1 ~ Miyamasu Mitake Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  宮益御嶽神社
English Reading: Miyamasu Mitake Jinja
English Translation: Shrine Profit Tall Mountain Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Mountain
Wolf Count: 2
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shibuya
Address: 1 Chome-12-16 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0002

And now, for a bit of contrast, a Shrine that does not have fox guardians, but wolf guardians. That is a real rarity, because in Japan most Shrines have Komainu (Guard Dogs) as guardians, with foxes being the most common exception. To the south of Japan (mostly Kyushu and Okinawa) Shii-Saa (Guard Lions) commonly replace the Komainu, and foxes are less common there. Other animals, meanwhile, are absolute exceptions, so I am going to point them out whenever I come along them.

Also, this Shrine is located on the top of a two-story building, with a wide stairwell leading up one side, which already makes this remarkable in its own right, since it is not exactly a small shrine either. Shrines to mountain deities, by the way, are quite common in Japan, and usually venerate highly local deities. It could also explain why wolves watch over this Shrine, since one word for "wolf" in Japan is Yamainu ("山犬" Mountain Dog). Sadly, the Japanese Wolf was systematically hunted to extinction during the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century.

27 ~ Onden Massha Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  穏田出世稲荷神社
English Reading: Onden Massha Inari Jinja
English Translation: Calm Rice Field Side Shrine Inari Shrine
Size: Side Shrine
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shibuya
Address: 5 Chome-26-3 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001

A side shrine of Onden Jinja at the edge of the Shibuya District of Tokyo, literally next to the parking lot, which is also part of the shrine grounds. This one interweaves the sacred lucky colors of red and white quite nicely, even having both a white and a red Torii. By the way, Torii is written 鳥居, which literally translates to "Birds are there".

26 ~ Manpuku Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  満福稲荷神社
English Reading: Manpuku Inari Jinja
English Translation: Saturated Fortune Inari Shrine
Size: Side Shrine
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 22-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Minato
Address: 7 Chome-7-7 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to 106-0032

The first fox shrine I should find on my stray on 22-Mar-2018. This one is a side shrine of Tensou Jinja (天祖神社 "Ancestral Sun Goddess Shrine"), and is located between two skyscrapers in Roppongi. It features a couple of caged foxes, the right one of which also has a kit, bringing the vixen side count to 1:6.

25 ~ Shibaura Myouhou Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  芝浦妙法稲荷神社
English Reading: Shibaura Myouhou Inari Jinja
English Translation: Lawn Bay Lotus Sutra Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 18-Mar-2018
Location: Tokyo-Minato
Coordinates: 35.6462718,139.7536572

The final fox shrine that I should find on today's stray, and another special one at that. This one neatly demonstrates how very intertwined Shinto and Buddhism are in Japan, with a Buddha statue sitting in a sort of mini-pagoda above the Shrine. Incidentally, in this Shrine I can clearly recognize the item that the fox on the left is holding as a pipe (I guess), which makes sense. In Japanese folklore, Kudagitsune (管狐 "Pipe Fox") were thought to dwell in pipes and help their owners, though there's also the saying that they would multiply and eventually devour all the wealth they created.  Either way, there seems to be a connection between foxes and pipes that runs all the way to the shrines.