91 ~ Fushimi Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  伏見稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Fushimi Inari Jinja
English Translation: Prostrated Hopes Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine (of Tabata Hachiman Jinja)
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 11
First Visit: 19-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Kita
Address: 2 Chome-7-2 Tabata, Kita-ku, Tōkyō-to 114-0014

A foxy side shrine of Tabata Hachiman Jinja (田端八幡神社 "Field Edge Hachiman Shrine"), and my first shrine in Tokyo's Kita-Ku (北区 "North Ward"). This shrine is more akin to a little wild garden, complete with flowers and bushes, and many of the foxes here show signs of wear, such as broken-off muzzles and tails. The shrine itself, meanwhile, is hewn from crude rock, which nicely completes the overall rugged feel of this place.

In fact, it is not entirely unlikely that this was done on purpose, since the Japanese also value the beauty of imperfection. The word for that is Wabi-Sabi (侘寂 "Proud Loneliness"), and it describes a worldview or aesthetic principle that finds beauty in the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete nature of things. It celebrates authenticity, simplicity, and the passage of time, appreciating the beauty found in natural objects, weathered materials, and the transient moments of life.

In art, design, and everyday life, Wabi-Sabi encourages an acceptance of flaws, asymmetry, and irregularities, embracing the unique character and history of objects or experiences. This concept is deeply ingrained in traditional Japanese culture and continues to influence various aspects of Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, including shrines such as this one.