496 ~ Byakko Daimyoujin Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 白狐大明神
Romanized Reading: Byakko Daimyoujin
English Translation: White Fox Great Radiant Deity
Cluster Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805, Japan
Coordinates: 34.97010,135.77759

The next tiny cluster of Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, located directly next to Gyokuki​ Ookami. With a name like that, I'm reasonably certain that it's an Inari shrine, even if I don't have many pictures of it.

Also, as a little disclaimer: While I did my best to assign the pictures that I took to the correct shrines, it is entirely possible that some of the pictures about the shrines in this valley - especially those that are closely side-to-side like this one - may be one shrine off. But you can definitely still all find the shrines and pictures that I post here somewhere in this very walkable valley.
 

495 ~ Gyokuki​ Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 玉姫大神
Romanized Reading: Gyokuki Ookami
English Translation: Jewel Princess Great Deity
Cluster Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Fushimi Inari, Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho
Address: Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0805, Japan
Coordinates: 34.9701,135.7776

We are now out of the Torii Road, in a small valley by the name of Fukakusa Kaidoguchicho (深草開土口町 "Deep Weeds Open Soil Entrance Town"). Here, the concept of individual fox shrine clusters becomes kinda funky, since there's clusters right next to one another.

Imagine it like that: There's a tiny cluster, a small shrine with several tiny shrines crammed into its grounds. And right next to it, there's the next such cluster. and it goes on like that all the way down the valley. One way to go about it would be to consider the entire valley one huge cluster, or to name the segments between the rest houses individual clusters. For simplicity's sake, however, I am simply going to refer to each of these "main" shrines that serve as a hub for tiny fox shrines as a cluster.

Anyway, this is the first of them, and there's many more to come. We're clearly not out of fox territory yet.
 

494 ~ Enoki Ookami

Japanese Name: 榎木大神
Romanized Reading: Enoki Ookami
English Translation: Hackberry Tree Great Deity
Size: Small Side Shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Length Segment
Address: Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9698,135.7794

For once, not a cluster, but a fox shrine next to Kyouya (京屋 "Capital Shop") and Mitamatei (三玉亭 "Three Jewels Pavilion"). As we get further down the mountain, the shrines and clusters become smaller and closer next to one another. And there's even a few shrines without foxes in between them.

 

493 ~ Oomatsu Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 大松大神
Romanized Reading: Oomatsu Ookami
English Translation: Great Pine Great Deity
Cluster Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Length Segment
Address: Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9697,135.7797

A tiny fox shrine cluster across from Hyotei (瓢亭 "Gourd Pavilion"). This one only has a few shrines with foxes in it. But it's right along the way, so might as well visit it.
 

492 ~ Santokusha Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 三徳社
Romanized Reading: Santokusha
English Translation: Three Virtues Shrine
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Length Segment
Address: 9 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9697,135.7805

A small wayside cluster of fox shrines on the length segment of the Torii road. This one is located next to Santokutei (三徳亭 "Three Virtues Pavilion"), one of the several rest houses along the way.
 

491 ~ Tanaka Jinja Cluster (Kojingamine)

 

Japanese Name: 田中神社
Romanized Reading: Tanaka Jinja
English Translation: Field Middle Shrine
Cluster Size: Big
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Crossroads
Address: 21 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9695 135.7816

Located next Yotsuji (四つ辻 "Crossroads"), this is one of the four peak shrines of Inariyama, built around one of the minor peaks, Kojingamine (荒神峰 "Wild God Peak"). As such, it is comparable in size to Ichinomine Kamisha, with concentric circles of shrines built side-by-side around the summit, and most of them featuring at least two foxes. Incidentally, during my time in Kyoto, I should end up taking all four of the oaths from this crossroad. Here's how this cluster looks from above.

490 ~ Oosugisha Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 大杉社
Romanized Reading: Oosugisha
English Translation: Great Cedar Shrine
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 20 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9688,135.7828

The final fox shrine cluster in the loop segment of the Torii road, before the crossroads. Located next to it is Suginoya (杉乃家 "Cedar House"), another of the many rest and souvenir houses around the mountain.

 

489 ~ Ganrikisha Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 眼力社
Romanized Reading: Ganrikisha
English Translation: Insight Shrine
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 19 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9692,135.7834

Another small wayside cluster with lots of foxes and a little souvenir stall.
 

488 ~ Rikimatsu Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 力松大神
Romanized Reading: Rikimatsu Ookami
English Translation: Strength Pine Great Deity
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804, Japan
Coordinates: 34.9693,135.7840

A medium-sized cluster with a prominent horse statue out front. This one features a good amount of fox shrines.
 

487 ~ Suehiro Daimyoujin Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 末廣大明神
Romanized Reading: Suehiro Daimyoujin
English Translation: Tip Wide Great Radiant Deity
Cluster Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 21-17 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.96942,135.78460

A tiny cluster of "just" a few fox shrines by the wayside. That still makes this more foxes than I've seen in all of Okinawa on an area a dozen or two square meters.
 

486 ~ Ishii Ookami Cluster (Waterspout Fox)

 

Japanese Name: 石井大神
Romanized Reading: Ishii Ookami
English Translation: Stone Well Great Deity
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 17 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9688,135.7852

A small cluster that is located next to the Mitsurugisha Cluster. This one only has a handful of shrines, but it does feature a waterspout fox, which isn't something that I've seen anywhere else.
 

485 ~ Mitsurugisha Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 御劔社
Romanized Reading: Mitsurugisha
English Translation: Honorable Sword Shrine
Cluster Size: Big
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 16 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9687 135.7859

One of the main clusters of fox shrines around Inariyama. Apart from countless tiny shrines with foxes, it also has the Yakuriki-no-Taki (薬力の滝 "Medical Power Cascade"), a small stream of water pouring down over an outcropping by means of a bamboo half pipe, which assume is attributed healing properties.

This is also the location of Mitsurugiaya (三剱家 "Three Swords House"), which is the 13th of what I assume are shops and/or resting spots around Inariyama.

 

484 ~ Harushige Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 春繫大神 
Romanized Reading: Harushige Ookami
English Translation: Spring Attached Great Deity
Cluster Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9674,135.7864

I'm now back on track again. And with that, I mean I'm now on a path that I should end up walking over and over again, so I have more image sources for the shrines from here on out. Once right now. Once during the night of the new year, once while showing some friends around. And once again while showing some other friends around several years later.

Even so, I don't have that many pictures of this cluster. Most of them are from the new year's night, and I don't use a flash when photographing shrines out of respect. So the images are just a teeny tiny bit dark there.

Anyway, this is a pretty small cluster.  I think it has only 3 or 4 shrines to it, so it doesn't even have that many foxes. But it's still part of the show.

483 ~ Ichinomine Kamisha Cluster (Inariyama Peak)

 

Japanese Name: 一ノ峰上社
Romanized Reading: Ichinomine Kamisha
English Translation: First Peak Top Shrine
Cluster Size: Big
Deity: Inari
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, Inariyama Peak, Torii Road Loop Segment
Address: 15 Inariyamakanyuchi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0804
Coordinates: 34.9671,135.7855

This is it. The topmost shrine of Inariyama, located a t the very peak at 233m above sea level. Not all that high, I know, but still the peak of the holy mountain. I took a very roundabout way to get here, but I am rewarded with a multitude of fox shrines. There's easily a hundred of them clustered side by side in concentric rings along terraces around the summit.

I'm now also back at the Torii road, which actually goes from the foot of the mountain all the way to the top, and then back another way to a crossroads, forming a noose of sorts. And there's also a store up here that sells these little popup Torii that you can place at your favorite shrine. I can actually watch people doing that right there and then.

482 ~ Suehiro-no-Taki Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 末廣大神
Romanized Reading: Suehiro Ookami
English Translation: Tip Wide Great Deity
Cluster Size: Medium
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, up the Shiragiku-no-Taki valley
Address: 49 Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamachō, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9660,135.7878

Despite the fact that I must have passed this cluster already on my way up to Ooiwa Ookami, I apparently only really noticed it on my way back down. Or maybe, I chose to ignore it on the first pass on account of my camera just having died. Anyway, this is another of those cascade clusters, named 末広の滝 (Suehiro-no-Taki = "Tip Wide Cascade"). There's also one more further up the valley called 岩龍ノ瀧 (Iwaryuu-no-Taki = "Boulder Dragon Cascade"), but I haven't been to that one.
 

 

481 ~ Ooiwa Ookami Cluster

 

Japanese Name: 大岩大神
Romanized Reading: Ooiwa Ookami
English Translation: Great Boulder Great Deity
Cluster Size: Small
Deity: ?
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, up the Shiragiku-no-Taki valley
Address: Japan, 〒612-0813 Kyoto, Fushimi Ward, Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho
Coordinates: 34.9661,135.7887

The easternmost fox shrine cluster of Fushimi Inari that I visited. Past here, the pat was closed on account of the aftermath of Typhoon Jebi, which struck here half a year ago. Apparently, this is one of the more remote paths that has not been repaired yet.

Anyway, this is a pretty small fox shrine cluster with not all that many foxes around. By local standards, at least. It still has way more foxes than most other shrines.
 

480 ~ Mitsurugi-no-Taki (Camera battery died)

 

Japanese Name: 御劔ノ瀧
Romanized Reading: Mitsurugi-no-Taki
English Translation: Honorable Sword Cascade
Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Mitsurugi-no-Taki
Address: 44 Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9654,135.7877

The 118th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the fourth one within the Mitsurugi-no-Taki cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes, with the left one holding a scroll, and the right one holding an orb.

I used to think there couldn't be such a thing as too much fox shrines. However, that is clearly not true for my camera's battery, which died only three hours into this fox shrine orgy.

So, what now? I'm barely half around the mountain, and there's surely still thousands of fox shrines to find. I still have my phone, but the battery life of that is also limited. And even if it wasn't, I'm reasonably sure that I don't have enough space for all the pictures I would take on there.

Thus, I shift approaches from here on out. Instead of taking pictures of individual shrines, I instead just take one or a few pictures for each cluster, in the understanding that each of them likely contains dozens of fox shrines.

So, from here on out, our pace is going to accelerate a bit (but we're still gonna stay in Kyoto for the rest of the year).

479 ~ ?nan Daimyoujin

Japanese Name: ？男大明神
Romanized Reading: ?nan Daimyoujin
English Translation: ? Man Great Radiant Deity
Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Mitsurugi-no-Taki
Address: 44 Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9654,135.7877

The 117th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the third one within the Mitsurugi-no-Taki cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes, with the left one holding a scroll, and the right one holding an orb.

This one is located directly to the right of the previous one, and it looks very old, with moss covering it all over.

The puzzle of its name might be related to that. It's not that I can't make out the first character. It's that no such kanji exists (anymore). It's a 里 with a 亠 on top, kinda like in 裏, but without the lower part. As if it is the missing link between them. If it was 里男, then it would read "Satoo" and mean "Village Man". I consider that to be its most likely name, but I really can't be sure. Have a close-up look here if you like:

 

478 ~ Sanrin Ookami, Ebisu Ookami, Shironaga Ookami (and more)

Japanese Names: 三輪大神, 恵比須大神, 白長大神++
Romanized Readings: Sanrin Ookami, Ebisu Ookami, Shironaga Ookami++
English Translations: Three Rings Great Deity, Ebisu Great Deity, White Long Great Deity++
Size: Tiny
Deity: Ebisu
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Mitsurugi-no-Taki
Address: 44 Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9654,135.7877

The 116th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the second one within the Mitsurugi-no-Taki cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes, with the left one holding a scroll, and the right one holding an orb.

This shrine is dedicated to Ebisu, god of fishing, and one of the Shijifukujin. 

It also has more names. I wasn't able to decipher them, but if you want to try, here you go! You can also click on the very top image to enlarge it, because some of the names are better legible on that one (still can't figure out what Kanji those are supposed to be though...)

 

 

477 ~ Mitsurugi Ookami, Mitsuyoshi Ookami, Fujiyoshi Ookami (Mitsurug-no-Taki Cluster Start)

 

Japanese Names: 御劔大神, 三芳大神, 藤芳大神
Romanized Readings: Mitsurugi Ookami, Mitsuyoshi Ookami, Fujiyoshi Ookami
English Translations: Honorable Sword Great Deity, Three Perfumes Great Deity, Wisteria Perfume Great Deity
Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Mitsurugi-no-Taki
Address: 44 Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9654,135.7877

The 115th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the first one within the Mitsurugi-no-Taki (御劔ノ瀧 "Honorable Sword Cascade") cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes, with the left one holding a scroll, and the right one holding an orb.

476 ~ Kasha Ookami, Komeko Ookami, Kinkou Ookami

 

Japanese Names: 火車大神, 米子大神, 金光大神
Romanized Readings: Kasha Ookami, Komeko Ookami, Kinkou Ookami
English Translations: Fiery Chariot Great Deity, Rice Child Great Deity, Golden Light Great Deity
Size: Tiny Side shrine in the Happyakuman Ookami cluster
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Happyakuman Ookami cluster
Address: Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9650,135.7875

The 114th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the ninth and last one within the Happyakuman Ookami cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes. I assume that the left one is holding a scroll, and the right one an orb, but I only have the one picture of this shrine, and I can't see the foxes' heads on it, so I can't be sure.

 

475 ~ Takayama Ookami, Shiragiku Ookami, Hakushin Ookami (and more)

 

Japanese Names: 高山大神, 白菊大神, 白心大神++
Romanized Readings: Takayama Ookami, Shiragiku Ookami, Hakushin Ookami++
English Translations: Tall Mountain Great Deity, White Chrysanthemum Great Deity, White Heart Great Deity++
Size: Tiny Side shrine in the Happyakuman Ookami cluster
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Happyakuman Ookami cluster
Address: Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9650,135.7875

The 113th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the eight within the Happyakuman Ookami cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes, with the left one holding a scroll, and the right one holding an orb.

It has two more names, and while this time around I can see the lines engraved into the Iwakura clearly, I still can't figure out which Kanji they belong to. They are the names on the left and right Iwakura respectively. You can click on the image at the top for a close up, if you want to try to decipher them.

 

474 ~ Hachikou Ryuuou, Shiragiku Ookami, Kumataka Ookami

 

Japanese Names: 八高龍王, 白菊大神, 熊鷹大神
Romanized Readings: Hachikou Ryuuou, Shiragiku Ookami, Kumataka Ookami
English Translations: Eight Tall Dragon Kings, White Chrysanthemum Great Deity, Hawk-Eagle Great Deity
Size: Tiny Side shrine in the Happyakuman Ookami cluster
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 25-Dec-2018
Location: Kyoto-Fushimi, inside Happyakuman Ookami cluster
Address: Fukakusa Gokurakuji Yamacho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0813
Coordinates: 34.9650,135.7875

The 112th vulpine side shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and the seventh within the Happyakuman Ookami cluster. As usual, it is watched over by a pair of life-sized stone foxes, with the left one holding a scroll, and the right one holding an orb.