83 ~ Yaba Inari Jinja

Japanese Name:  矢場稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Yaba Inari Jinja
English Translation: Archery Range Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 19-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Taito
Address: 3 Chome-43-2 Taito, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0016 

The first fox shrine that I should find on my long stray through the north of Tokyo, and it's already quite an interesting one. Not only is it located on top of a garage, with no way to approach it from the street, but its name packs quite a bit of historical context. You see, back in the Edo-era, a Yaba could really just be an innocent archery range... or i could be brothel operating behind the front of an archery range. Don't ask me how exactly that works, but... as a deity associated with fertility, Inari shrines can also frequently be found near such places, thus giving an indication that this particular Yaba probably was not one of the innocent ones.