139 ~ Inarisha

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Inarisha
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 30-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Taito
Coordinates: 35.7009575,139.7760509

The final fox shrine that I should find today, back in the heart of Tokyo. This is one of those typical little gem shrines hidden in the heart of the city, surrounded on three sides by tall buildings. Ground prices come at a premium here, yet still no one dares build over sacred shrine ground. Three pairs of tiny porcelain foxes reside within.
 

138 ~ Saginomori Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  鷺之森稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Saginomori Inari Jinja
English Translation: Heron Forest Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 7
First Visit: 30-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 2 Chome-31-8 Omorihigashi, Ota City, Tokyo 143-0012

A small fox shrine in Ota-Ku. Today, I'm all over the map! Four tiny porcelain foxes reside within, and a pair of life-sized caged stone foxes awaits outside. The one on the right features a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 8:29.

BRONZE 137 ~ Chigo Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  地護稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Chigo Inari Jinja
English Translation: Ground Guardian Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: Many
First Visit: 30-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Taito
Address: 3 Chome-5-3 Higashiueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0015

One of three fox shrines that I should find on my stray today. This one is already a winner: Tiny though it might be, it features a shelf with many tiny porcelain foxes behind the pedestal that holds the tiny shrine. A quartet of tiny porcelain foxes also sit directly next to the shrine, and a pair of roughly life-sized stone foxes sits guard in front of one of the stone Torii.

136 ~ Tsumakoi Inari

 

Japanese Name:  妻恋稲荷
Romanized Reading: Tsumakoi Inari
English Translation: Loving Wive Inari
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Tsumakoi Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2+
First Visit: 29-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Bunkyo
Address: 3 Chome-2-6 Yushima, Bunkyō, Tokyo 113-0034

The other fox shrine that I should find on today's short stray through Bunkyou-Ku. This one is a side shrine of Tsumakoi Jinja (妻恋神社 "Loving Wife Shrine"). The tiny side shrine is adorned with a golden circle depicting a fan - the symbol of Tsumakoi Jinja. At the time of my visit, there were only two tiny porcelain foxes there, but judging from the images on google, there might be more foxes around by now.
 

135 ~ Misou Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  見送稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Misou Inari Jinja
English Translation: Off-Seeing Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Sakuragi Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 5
First Visit: 29-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Bunkyo
Address: 4 Chome-3-1 Hongō, Bunkyō-ku, Tōkyō-to 113-0033

One of two fox shrines that I should find on today's little stray through Tokyo's Bunkyou-Ku (文京区 "Culture Capital Ward"). This one is a side shrine of Sakuragi Jinja (桜木神社 "Cherry Tree Shrine"). In fact, there's a big tree growing right in front of this little side shrine, partly obscuring the Torii, but I'm not sure if it's a cherry tree.

Four life-sized stone foxes sit watch over this one, with a fifth little one sitting next to one of the foxes to the right. Unlike the other "vixen and kit" depictions thus far, this one is clearly a separate statue, yet the arrangement is clearly intended to symbolize the same thing, thus bringing the vixen side count to 8:28.

134 ~ Muramori Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  村守稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Muramori Inari Jinja
English Translation: Village Protector Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 7
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Coordinates: 35.5563043,139.7447252

The final new fox shrine that I should find on my great stray to Anamori Inari today. This one is located on a corner of Asahi Jidou Yuuen (旭児童遊園 "Morning Sun Playground Park"). Also, does anyone else notice a pattern here? Last was Uramori Inari, his is Muramori Inari, and next is Anamori Inari. Looks like there's a chain of protector shrines down here.

Anyway, two pairs of tiny porcelain foxes reside deep within the shrine, and another pair of life-sized stone foxes sits watch outside, with the right one featuring a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 8:27.
 

Snake 2 ~ Shirohebi Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name:  蛇白大明神
Romanized Reading: Shirohebi Daimyoujin
English Translation: White Snake Great Radiant Deity
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Uramori Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari
Snake Count: 7
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-27-8 Ōmoriminami, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 143-0013

Another side shrine of Uramori Inari Jinja, but this one features snakes instead of foxes. Old-time allies in the fight against vermin, snakes are also sometimes seen as guardians in Inari-shrines such as this one. Despite not having "Inari" in its name, the Inari-emblem on the cloth above this shrine still identifies it as such. A total of seven snakes watch over this shrine: One big stone snake curled up in the shape of a hoju-no-tama, two tiny curled-up porcelain snakes, and another two tiny pairs of porcelain snakes curled up around one another with a golden hoju-no-tama in the middle, with one snake of each pair carrying a golden scroll of teachings in its mouth.
 

133 ~ Uramori Inari Massha

 

Japanese Name:  浦守稲荷末社
Romanized Reading: Uramori Inari Massha
English Translation: Bay Protector Inari Subordinate Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Uramori Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 8
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-27-8 Ōmoriminami, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 143-0013

A tiny foxy side shrine of aforementioned Uramori Inari Jinja, featuring another three pairs of life-sized caged stone foxes, as well as one pair of tiny white porcelain foxes.

132 ~ Uramori Inari Jinja (Wood Cutouts)

 

Japanese Name:  浦守稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Uramori Inari Jinja
English Translation: Bay Protector Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 5
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-27-8 Ōmoriminami, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 143-0013

One of the bigger fox shrines that I should visit today, this one even features not one, but two notable side shrines. I am close to calling it a Bronze Fox Shrine, but since it only features 13 foxes alltogether, I feel it's not quite there. Two of the foxes here are, in fact, negative foxes: They come in the form of cutouts in the shrine's front doors, so I wonder if I should count them negative too? If so, this shrine only features the fox kit of the right of the two life-sized stone-foxes in front, which incidentally also brings the vixen side count to 8:26.

131 ~ Kifune Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  貴船稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Kifune Inari Jinja
English Translation: Precious Ship Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine of Kifune Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 5
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 3 Chome-9-19 Omorihigashi, Ota City, Tokyo 143-0012

A foxy side shrine of Kifune Jinja (貴船神社 "Precious Ship Shrine"). There's a pair of small stone foxes sitting inside, and another caged pair of life-sized ones keeping watch in cages outside. The one on the right features a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 8:25.
 

130 ~ Oumori Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  王森稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Oumori Inari Jinja
English Translation: King Forest Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Coordinates: 35.5765429,139.7353459

A small fox shrine located on one side of a city block, yet also has a walkway that extends across a car park to the other side of the block, thus resulting in that curious sight where it seems like cars are waiting in line for the shrine. A pair of life-sized caged fox stone statues watches over this shrine.
 

129 ~ Nakamura Koutai

 

Japanese Name:  中村光碓?
Romanized Reading: Nakamura Koutai?
English Translation: Middle Town Light Pestle?
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Oomori Jinja
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 6 Chome-32-12 Omorikita, 大田区 Ota City, Tokyo 143-0016

A tiny foxy side shrine of Oomori Jinja (大森神社 "Great Forest Shrine"), which ironically is located in the middle of the city, with only a handful of trees on the shrine grounds. I am actually not 100% sure about the last Kanji in this shrine's name, since it is painted on a piece of cloth with a stroke width so big that the lines of the Kanji blur together. Anyway inside the tiny shrine, there's a pair of tiny porcelain foxes, with a third even smaller porcelain fox in their middle.
 

128 ~ Kasajima Benzaiten (Fox Carvings)

 

Japanese Name:  笠島弁財天
Romanized Reading: Kasajima Benzaiten
English Translation: Bamboo Hat Island Benzaiten
Size: Small Side Shrine of Iwai Jinja
Deity: Benzaiten
Fox Count: 3 (carvings)
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 2 Chome-20-8 Ōmorikita, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 143-0016

Another foxy side shrine of Iwai Jinja. This one is located on a small island in a small pond. For once, it is not an Inari shrine, but rather a shrine dedicated to Benzaiten, goddess of music, knowledge and everything that flows. Benzaiten is also one of the Shichifukujin (七福神 "Seven Fortune Gods"), the seven lucky gods of Buddhism. And yet, there's Shinto shrines dedicated to her and others of the Shichifukujin, which just goes to show how tightly interwoven Shinto and Buddhist fate are in Japan.

Anyway, there's no fox statues here, but a carving of a pair of foxes with a kit adorns the shrine just above the altar. Or at least it did back when I visited it in 2018, because recent images show a new and refurbished version of the shrine which sadly lacks the fox carving.

127 ~ Kaihou Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  海豊稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Kaiun Inari Jinja
English Translation: Ocean Bounty Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine of Iwai Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 9
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Ota
Address: 2 Chome-20-8 Ōmorikita, Ōta-ku, Tōkyō-to 143-0016

Crossing over into Tokyo's Ota-District, I find this fox shrine as a side shrine of Iwai Jinja (磐井神社 "Crag Well Shrine"). Six foxes, small and tiny, sit inside, and a life-sized stone fox pair guards the outside. The one on the left also features a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 8:24.
 

126 ~ Kaiun Inari Jinja (Wooden Foxes)

 

Japanese Name:  海運稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Kaiun Inari Jinja
English Translation: Shipping Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinagawa
Coordinates: 35.5940314,139.7377854

A small fox shrine at the back of a parking lot. Two roughly life-sized white foxes sit guard outside, and there's another two pairs inside: One made of stone that is already slightly weathered, and anothre carved from wood.

125 ~ Minami Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  南稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Minami Inari Jinja
English Translation: South Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine of Tenso Suwa Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 8
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinagawa
Address: 1 Chome-4-1 Minamioi, Shinagawa, Tokyo 140-0013

A small foxy side shrine of Tenso Suwa Jinja (天祖諏訪神社 "Ancestral Sun Deity Consulting Visit Shrine"). This is the first shrine in a while where the life-sized fox stone statues outside sit behind bars. On the inside, there's another trio of tiny porcelain foxes each towards either side.
 

124 ~ Nakamachi Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  仲町稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Nakamachi Inari Jinja
English Translation: Relationship Town Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinagawa
Coordinates: 35.5980264,139.7392757

A small fox shrine next to a park. Though it is located directly next to a road, it faces it with its back, so if you're walking along the road you need to cycle around through the nearby park to get there. A pair of life-sized stone foxes sits watch in front of the shrine, with the left one featuring a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 7:24.

 

123 ~ Hibou Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  火防稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Hibou Inari Jinja
English Translation: Fire Prevention Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 8
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinagawa
Address: 2 Chome-9-15 Higashiōi, Shinagawa-ku, Tōkyō-to 140-0011

A small fox shrine by the roadside, which befitting of its name contains an earthquake emergency water supply tap. Inside of the little shrine there are a total of eight little porcelain foxes hidden in the shadows around the altar.

122 ~ Shiratama Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  白玉稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Shiratama Inari Jinja
English Translation: White Jewel Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinagawa
Address: 2 Chome-9-15 Higashiōi, Shinagawa-ku, Tōkyō-to 140-0011

A small fox shrine in a back road that is surrounded by unusually tall and solid stone walls, though the shrine building proper is still made of traditional wood. A pair of life-sized stone foxes sits watch in front of it, with the right one featuring a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 6:24.
 

121 ~ Shusse Inari Jinja (Ginko Carvings & Roof Foxes)

 

Japanese Name:  出世稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Shusse Inari Jinja
English Translation: Success in Life Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine of Samezu Hachiman Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4 (2 carvings)
First Visit: 26-Apr-2018
Location: Tokyo-Shinagawa
Address: 1 Chome-20-10 Higashioi, Shinagawa City, Tokyo 140-0011

A foxy side shrine of Samezu Hachiman Jinja (鮫洲八幡神社 "Shark Sandbar Hachiman Shrine"). Fox carvings seem to be popular around these parts, and the ones at this shrine are colored in such a way that I believe they are meant to depict Ginko, silver foxes. In addition, there's also a pair of life-sized stone foxes sitting guard in front of the shrine, as well as another two foxes atop the shrine's roof. These two foxes are badly weathered, though, missing limbs and tails.