154 ~ Taiheizan Miyoshi Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  太平山三吉神社
Romanized Reading: Murasaki Jinja
English Translation: Purple Shrine
Size: Small Ruined Side Shrine of Inari Daimyoujin
Deity: Mountain
Fox Count: 15
First Visit: 16-May-2018
Location: Tashirojima
Address: Nitoda-108 Tashirohama, Ishinomaki-shi, Miyagi-ken 986-0023

The only fox shrine that we should find on Tashirojima. Interestingly, this is a side shrine of Inari Daimyoujin (稲荷大明神  "Inari Great Radiant Deity"), which itself does not feature any foxes. Another curiosity is that this shrine is ruined, the 13 tiny porcelain foxes having taken refuge alongside other idols around the stone monuments in front.

153 ~ Nameless Shrine

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation: ?
Size: Small
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 15-May-2018
Location: Ishinomaki
Coordinates: 38.4148874,141.3610278

A tiny fox shrine found late on the day of our arrival in Ishinomaki. This one is located in the middle of an empty and overgrown plot in the Matsubaracho (松原町 "Pine Meadow Town") neighborhood. Like everything around, it is pretty new, with a pair of life-sized stone foxes sitting watch in front, and another pair of tiny porcelain foxes inside the tiny stone shrine.
 

152 ~ Murasaki Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  紫神社
Romanized Reading: Murasaki Jinja
English Translation: Purple Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2 (+variable number of live foxes)
First Visit: 15-May-2018
Location: Ishinomaki
Address: 5-28 Mangokuchō, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-2115

The first fox shrine that we should find in Ishinomaki (石巻 "Stone Scroll"). This one is located in Mangokucho (万石町 "Thousand Stones Town"), which is one of the neighborhoods that was completely wiped out by the tsunami of 2011 (which also related to the Fukushima incident), and it still shows today. There's lots of open space here, and most of the buildings are both cheap and new, as is the shrine. No traditional huge shrine grounds, just a little shed on a bed of gravel, with a trio of tiny porcelain foxes inside. The foxes are the only indication that I have that this might be an Inari Shrine.

🡻Shiroishi - Ishinomaki🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were in (or rather near) Shiroishi, and all Shrines until the next marker are in Ishinomaki (or on nearby Tashirojima).

151 ~ Inarisha (Zao Fox Village ~ Live Foxes)

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inarisha
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2 (+variable number of live foxes)
First Visit: 12-May-2018
Location: Shiroishi
Address: Kawarago-11-3 Fukuokayatsumiya

This is the only fox shrine I should find in the vicinity of Shiroishi (白石 "White Stone"), and yet it's also one of the most special fox shrines ever. That is because this one is located in Zao Kitsune Mura (蔵王キツネ村 "Storehouse King Fox Village"), a place where you can enter an enclosure with semi-tame foxes running all around. As such, this is one of two fox shrines that I should encounter which is actually attended to by real live foxes. In addition, there's also a pair of life-sized stone foxes watching over the shrine along with their furry brethren.

Here's a video of the whole foxy place, including the shrine:

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

🡻Nikko - Shiroishi🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were in Nikko, and all Shrines until the next marker are in (or rather near) Shiroishi.

150 ~ Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 9-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: 781 Shimohatsuishimachi, Nikkō-shi, Tochigi-ken 321-1403

The final fox Shrine we should find in Nikko, and once again late at night. This little shrine stands at a road corner in Shimohatsuishimachi (下鉢石町 "Lower Bowl Stone Town") and features two tiny stone foxes as its guardians.

149 ~ Nameless Shrine

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation: ?
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 9-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: １ Yasukawachō Nikkō-shi, Tochigi-ken 321-1432

A nameless tiny fox shrine right next to the sign of the Nikko Yubayūzen (日光ゆば遊膳 "Nikko Yuba Play Tray"), which is a restaurant serving Yuba, which in turn is a specialty dish of Nikko, consisting of the layered skin of gently boiled soy milk. This tiny shrine interestingly has an address, but not a name. A pair of tiny porcelain foxes resides inside, which is why I assume it might be an Inari Shrine.

148 ~ Kosodate Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name:  子育稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Kosodate Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Child Raising Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 9-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: 4-3 Yasukawachō, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1432

 

A tiny fox shrine found in front of a residence in Nikko's Yasukawachou (安川町 "Peaceful River Town"). The stairs open directly onto the sidewalk, so I'm sure its for public use. A pair of stone foxes sits watch in front of the tiny stone shrine, and another two tiny pairs of porcelain foxes of different design reside within.

147 ~ Taki-no-O Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  瀧尾稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Taki-no-O Inari Jinja
English Translation: Waterfall's Tail Inari Shrine
Size: Small Side Shrine (of Taki-no-O Jinja)
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 9-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Coordinates: 36.765629,139.5915449

Clearly the most remote fox shrine I have found thus far, this one is located up the side of the valley of Inarigawa (稲荷川 "Inari River"), which incidentally is a very common river name in Japan, what with Inari being associated with rice and rice being grown near rivers.

Anyway, this one is a side shrine of Taki-no-O Jinja (瀧尾神社 "Waterfall's Tail Shrine"). Note that the "no" in the shrine's name is not written in the Kanji making up it's name. I have observed that in a number of Shrines all over Japan that sometimes particles are omitted like that. How are you supposed to know how a Shrine is named then? Well, sometimes they have the pronunciation written somewhere (which is how I found out about this in the first place), but apart from that, no clue.

Either way, a pair of life-sized stone foxes watch over this little side shrine next to a trail in the woods.

146 ~ Nameless Shrine

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation:
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 8-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: 2335 Sannai, Nikkō-shi, Tochigi-ken 321-1431

A tiny fox shrine next to the parking lot of the Nikko Toukansou (日光東観荘 "Nikko East View Inn"). Only the presence of a pair of tiny porcelain foxies hints at this possibly being an Inari Shrine.
 

145 ~ Inari Jinja

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 8-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: 1 Chome-379 Inarimachi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1411

A fox shrine that we should find near the end of our first day in Nikko, while walking home from dinner. It is, befittingly, located in a part of town known as Inarimachi (稲荷町 "Inari Town"), which also features a big Inari park. Note that this shrine is sometimes written as 正一位稲荷神社 (Shouichii Inari Jinja "Highest Ranking Inari Shrine"). Basically, this is because Inari is one of the highest ranking deities in Shintoism, so this is more like a honorific that does not directly factor into the shrine's actual name. Specifically, I've seen it with several shrines where the name is written in multiple places (plaques, billboards, etc...) that the 正一位 is sometimes there and sometimes not, so I am reasonably certain it is not an actual part of the shrine names, which is why I learned to ignore it.

Anyway, a pair of life-sized stone foxes watches over this shrine, with the right one bearing a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 9:30.

144 ~ Nameless Shrine

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation:
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 8-May-2018
Location: Nikko
Address: 1-10 Matsubarachō, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1406

The first fox shrine that I should find outside of the Tokyo area. We're in the cultural heritage town of Nikko (日光 "Sun Light"), over a 100 km north of Tokyo now. This tiny fox shrine with its two porcelain foxes is conveniently located just across the street from the Tobu-Nikko station. It is located in a tiny private front yard, but you can see the shrine from the sidewalk just fine. Also, once again, and for the last time now, this is a shrine that I visited exactly 6 years ago as of the time of this posting.
 

🡻Tokyo - Nikko🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were in Tokyo (or Kawasaki), and all Shrines until the next marker are in Nikko.

143 ~ Shusse Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  出世稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Shusse Inari Jinja
English Translation: Success-in-Life Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 6-May-2018
Location: Tokyo-Toshima
Coordinates: 35.733548,139.7244438

The final fox shrine that I should find on my first time around in Tokyo, and another one that I first visited exactly 6 years ago as of this posting. It is also the first new fox shrine that I should find in the company of my best friend Robert, alongside whom I am going to travel up north for the next three weeks. This little shrine features two pairs of tiny porcelain foxes, one smaller than the other, along with some offerings in the form of tofu and canned sake.
 

 

142 ~ Saishou Inari

 

Japanese Name:  最勝稲荷
Romanized Reading: Saishou Inari
English Translation: Most Victory Inari
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 5
First Visit: 4-May-2018
Location: Tokyo-Sumida
Coordinates: 35.7067638,139.7998446

A well-hidden fox shrine in a narrow backroad behind a busy crossroads. And at the time of this posting, it was exactly 6 years ago that I visited this shrine. Two tiny porcelain foxes reside within the tiny shrine, and a pair of life-sized stone foxes sits watch outside. The one on the left features a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 9:29.
 

141 ~ Nameless Shrine

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation:
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 4-May-2018
Location: Tokyo-Sumida
Address: 1 Chome-3-5 Azumabashi, Sumida-ku, Tōkyō-to 130-0001

A tiny little fox shrine at the corner of a building in Sumida. Two tiny porcelain foxes reside within, which is why I assume it's probably an Inari shrine, but really, I can't be sure.

140 ~ Umemori Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  梅森稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Umemori Inari Jinja
English Translation: Plum Forest Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 4-May-2018
Location: Tokyo-Taito
Address: 1 Chome-6-12 Misuji, Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to 111-0055

A fox shrine that I should find while moving house, with my whole backpacking luggage strapped to my body, and in the company of Kim from Korea, who was my flatmate in the apartment that I'm now moving away from in preparation for embarking on a journey all around Japan. As such, this is one of the last few fox shrines that I should visit in Tokyo for the time being. A pair of tiny porcelain foxes sit inside.