329 ~ Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 16-Dec-2018
Location: Onomichi
Address: 2-chōme-11-12 Nagae, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0046
Coordinates: 34.41608,133.19918

A tiny fox shrine that is accessible by a flight of stairs leading up from the road at the valley floor. Two tiny porcelain foxes watch over this one.
 

328 ~ Shrine next to Ryuusui no Ido

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation: ?
Size: Tiny
Deity: ?
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 16-Dec-2018
Location: Onomichi
Address: 2 Chome-4-6 Nagae, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0046
Coordinates: 34.41335,133.19895

A tiny vulpine shrine located next to a historical landmark, the Ryuusui no Ido (柳水の井戸 "Willow Water Well"). A single tiny stone fox that looks like it is fashioned from clay resides within.
 

327 ~ Senkouji Side Shrine

 

Japanese Name:  ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation: ?
Size: Tiny side shrine of Senkouji
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 7
First Visit: 16-Dec-2018
Location: Onomichi
Address: 15-1 Higashitsuchidōchō, Onomichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken 722-0033
Coordinates: 34.4104,133.1987

A tiny vulpine side shrine of Senkouji (千光寺 "Thousand Lights Temple"). Seven tiny porcelain foxes reside within, which probably makes it an Inari shrine.
 

326 ~ Hachifuku Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  八福稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Hachifuku Inari Jinja
English Translation: The Beatitudes Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 16-Dec-2018
Location: Onomichi
Address: 20 Higashitsuchidōchō, Onomichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken 722-0033
Coordinates: 34.41122,133.19641

A fox shrine located atop Senkoujiyama (千光寺山 "Thousand Lights Temple Mountain"). There's a ropeway up there, but since the "mountain" is only 137m high, I simply hiked my way up. Two life-sized stone foxes watch over this one, along with a tiny porcelain fox.
 

325 ~ Sowa Inari Jinja

Japanese Name:  蘇和稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Sowa Inari Jinja
English Translation: Revived Harmony Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 15-Dec-2018
Location: Onomichi
Address: 1-8 Higashigoshochō, Onomichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken 722-0036
Coordinates: 34.40376,133.19291

The first fox shrine that I should find in Onomichi, which is  located by the shore of the Seto inland sea. What  you see on the map isn't a big  river, it's a small strait between mainland Honshu and one of the many islands of this sea.

This shrine is right outside the Onomichi station, and  two life-sized stone foxes watch over it.
 

🡻Matsuyama - Onomichi🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post are in (or near) Matsuyama on Shikoku, and all shrines after this are in (or near) Onomichi on Honshu.

324 ~ Dougo Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  道後稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Dougo Inari Jinja
English Translation: Behind the Road Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 13-Dec-2018
Location: Matsuyama
Address: 7-25 Dōgoyunomachi, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime-ken 790-0842
Coordinates: 33.85085,132.78447

The final fox shrine that I should find in Matsuyama. This one is located near the famous nearby Dougo Onsen (道後温泉 "Hot Springs Behind the Street"), after which a main belt asteroid was named. Two life-sized stone foxes watch over this one.

 

323 ~ Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 13-Dec-2018
Location: Nagahama (Iyo)
Address: Nagahamacho Nigyu, Ozu, Ehime 799-3403
Coordinates: 33.6063,132.4869

A vulpine shrine that I found as a result of my visit to Aoshima - the island of many cats (see Book II ~ Chapter 18 ~ Matsuyama Madness) - being cut dreadfully short as a result of stormy seas.

Instead, I got to explore Nagahama, had tea with a monk in a temple, and found this fox  shrine at the edge of town. Two life-sized stone foxes watch over it.
 

322 ~ Kuchi Taisha

 

Japanese Name:  口大社
Romanized Reading: Kuchi Taisha
English Translation: Mouth Great Shrine
Size: Small side shrine of Iyo Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 7
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Inari
Address: 1230 Inari, Iyo, Ehime 799-3121
Coordinates: 33.7395,132.7037

The second vulpine side shrine of Iyo Inari Jinja. This one features a total of seven tiny porcelain foxes. I am not entirely sure about its name though.

321 ~ Kumisha (Ninetil & Lanterns)

Japanese Name:  久美社
Romanized Reading: Kumisha
English Translation: Long time beautiful shrine
Size: Small side shrine of Iyo Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: Many
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Inari
Address: 1230 Inari, Iyo, Ehime 799-3121
Coordinates: 33.7395,132.7037

Located in the back of Iyo Inari Jinja, this little side shrine features four life-sized stone foxes, along with many fox lanterns. There's also a picture of Inari riding a nine-tailed wide fox down from the heavens. This is thus far the only depiction of a multi-tailed fox that I have seen at a shrine.

320 BRONZE ~ Iyo Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  伊豫稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Iyo Inari Jinja
English Translation: That One Comfortable Inari Shrine
Size: Big
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Inari
Address: 1230 Inari, Iyo, Ehime 799-3121
Coordinates: 33.74002,132.70365

This shrine was  the reason why I walked from Matsuyama to Inari for about 20km. I knew it was there, but not  what would await me here. Along the way,  I also passed a huge red Torii towering over the rice fields, which I took as a sign that I was on the right track.

Four life-sized stone foxes watch over this shrine, and it also features several side shrines, two of which with foxes, one of which has so many that this one as its parent shrine qualifies as a Bronze fox shrine.
 

Shimenawa 1 ~ Zuou Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  頭王神社
Romanized Reading: Zuou Jinja
English Translation: Head King Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Kakumiya Gorou no Mitama
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Masaki
Address: Ekubi, Masaki, Iyo District, Ehime 791-3141
Coordinates: 33.79561,132.72713

On my hike south towards the town with the inviting name of Inari, I came across this shrine where I encountered a small crowd of people in  the process of knurling a new Shimenawa. They were quite excited to see a foreigner take an interest in a little shrine in the middle of nowhere, and I for my part was quite excited to have run into a rare event like this by pure chance.

The Shimenawa is a knurled cord of rice straw that traditionally signifies the boundary between the human world and the spirit world. You'll find them at most shrines, usually adorned with little zig-zag shaped paper strips. I was told that the Shimenawa represents the clouds, and the paper strips represent divine lightning.

As for the shrine's deity Kakumiya Gorou no Mitama (頭王弥五郎霊 "Head King Increasingly Five Sons Deity"), if I read the nearby explanatory billboard correctly, it was a benevolent local ruler who was posthumously deified, maybe around the year 940 or so. In case anyone can read Japanese better than I, here's said billboard:

 

319 ~ Wakamiya Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  若宮神社
Romanized Reading: Wakamiya Jinja
English Translation: Young Shrine Shrine
Size: Tiny side shrine of Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Masaki
Address: 130-1 Nishitakayanagi, Masaki, Iyo District, Ehime 791-3132
Coordinates: 33.8036,132.7234

A tiny vulpine side shrine of the previous shrine. This one features only a single tiny porcelain fox, so I'm not sure if it's an Inari shrine or not. Then again, the fox is the best possible indication there is, and there's nothing to contradict it.
 

318 ~ Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Big
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Masaki
Address: 130-1 Nishitakayanagi, Masaki, Iyo District, Ehime 791-3132
Coordinates: 33.80362,132.72349

A big vulpine shrine located on the south side of Shigenobugawa (重信川 "Esteemed Faithful River"), which puts it just outside the city boundary of Matsuyama. Incidentally, today, I am on a stray south towards a town called Inari. Guess why.

Anyway, two big stone foxes sit at the shrine gates, and another two small ones are located inside (though I can only glimpse the rear end of one of those).
 

317 ~ Sorei Yashiro

 

Japanese Name:  祖霊社
Romanized Reading: Sorei Yashiro
English Translation: Ancestral Spirit Shrine
Size: Tiny​ side shrine of Himaneki Hachiman Daijinja
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 9-Dec-2018
Location: Matsuyama
Address: 1 Chome-4-3 Homennishi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0043
Coordinates: 33.8173,132.7455

The first fox shrine that I should find in Matsuyama. This one is a side shrine of the big Himaneki Hachiman Daijinja (日招八幡大神社 "Day Invitation Hachiman Grand Shrine"). There's only a single lone tiny porcelain fox here, but it's a start.
 

🡻Kyushu/Shikoku Transit - Matsuyama🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were encountered while travelling from Kagoshima to my next longer stay place on Shikoku, and all shrines after this are in (or near) Matsuyama on Shikoku.

316 ~ Oohata Mikoto(?)

 

Japanese Name:  大畠命?
Romanized Reading: Oohata Mikoto?
English Translation: Large Farm Deity?
Size: Tiny​ side shrine of Ichinomiya Jinja
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 7-Dec-2018
Location: Yawatahama
Address: 1 Chome-3 Furumachi, Yawatahama, Ehime 796-8003
Coordinates: 33.4551,132.4293

The only fox shrine that I should find during my afternoon stray through Yawatahama (八幡浜 "Eight Flags Beach"). I hadn't actually planned to come here, so among other things I needed to find a hotel to stay the night. But after that, I got to explore, and found this tiny side shrine of Ichinomiya Jinja (一宮神社 "First Shrine Shrine"), which featured at least the majority of one tiny porcelain fox. The poor little guy was missing its tail.

Also, the sign with the shrine's name was badly weathered, so Oohata Mikoto is my best guess based on what the Kanji most look like, and what makes sense based on my understanding of Japanese and shrine names.
 

315 BRONZE ~ Utono Inari Jinja (Omega Death Fox)

 

Japanese Name:  叩寅稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Utono Inari Jinja
English Translation: Striking the Hour of the Tiger Inari Shrine
Size: Medium​
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 5
First Visit: 7-Dec-2018
Location: Usuki
Address: Usuki, Oita 875-0041, Japan
Coordinates: 33.12162,131.80468

Not only the only fox shrine, but the only shrine whatsoever that I should find in Usuki (臼杵 "Mortar Pestle"), en route from the station to the ferry terminal after I had to improvise upon learning that the ferry terminal in Saiki had closed a few months ago. Two life-sized stone foxes sit in front of the shrine, which is located on top of the former castle hill, with scores of red Torii leading up the stairs. Another two small porcelain foxes are next to the altar, but neither of those is why this shrine earned bronze rank.

The reason for this is the little side building, which contains the head of the Omega Death Fox the biggest fox bigger than any other fox EVER™.

314 BRONZE ~ Gohau Inari

 

Japanese Name:  五所稲荷
Romanized Reading: Gohau Inari
English Translation: Five Places Inari
Size: Small side shrine of Gohaumiu Jinja​
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: Many
First Visit: 6-Dec-2018
Location: Saiki
Address: 19-4 Usutsubo, Saiki-shi, Ōita-ken 876-0849
Coordinates: 32.9664,131.8988

A small vulpine side shrine of Gohaumiu Jinja​ (五所明神社 "Five Places Radiant Shrine"), and the only fox shrine I should find in the town of Saiki (佐伯 "Assistant Chief"). It features several dozen tiny porcelain foxes, along with a pair of life-sized stone foxes. There might have been a second fox shrine in this town, but I only had one evening to explore, so I'm glad I found one with this many foxes.

🡻Kagoshima - Kyushu/Shikoku Transit🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post were in Kagoshima on Kyushu, and I found the Shrines until the next marker while travelling from Kagoshima to my next longer stay place on Shikoku. Since that was a longer trip (and I took the scenic route), I had two overnight stays, one on Kyushu and the other on Shikoku, and the shrines I found were part of that.

313 ~ Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name:  稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Inari Jinja
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Medium side shrine of Matsubara Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 5-Dec-2018
Location: Kagoshima
Address: 3-35 Matsubarachō, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima-ken 892-0833
Coordinates: 31.5865,130.5579

A side shrine of Matsubara Jinja (松原神社 "Pine Meadow Shrine"). This should be the last fox shrine I should find in Kagoshima, and with that also the southernmost fox shrine that I should find in all of Japan. Two life-sized stone foxes sit in front, and another two within.

Also, this shrine was renovated relatively recently. You can read up about it (and see some old pictures) on the shrine website here.
 

312 ~ Konpira Ookami

 

Japanese Name:  金毘羅大神
Romanized Reading: Konpira Ookami
English Translation: Konpira Great Deity
Size: Tiny side shrine of Inari Jinja
Deity: Konpira
Fox Count: 14
First Visit: 5-Dec-2018
Location: Kagoshima
Address: 34-15 Inaricho, Kagoshima, 892-0801
Coordinates: 31.61261,130.56845

The second tiny vulpine side shrine of Inari Jinja. This one features 12 tiny porcelain foxes, as well as two small stone foxes, one of whom holds a big Houkyou. It was this little shrine with many foxes that convinced me to award Bronze rank to the main shrine.

311 ~ Ryuujin

 

Japanese Name:  龍神
Romanized Reading: Ryuujin
English Translation: Dragon God
Size: Tiny side shrine of Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 5-Dec-2018
Location: Kagoshima
Address: 34-15 Inaricho, Kagoshima, 892-0801
Coordinates: 31.61261,130.56844

A tiny side shrine of Inari Jinja. Located in the back, this one features only a single small weathered stone fox. But that's still more than what I saw during my month in Okinawa.