563 BRONZE ~ Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name: 稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Small Side Shrine of Kongouji
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: Many
First Visit: 19-Jan-2019
Location: Numazu
Address: 518 Nishimakado, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0871
Coordinates: 35.10077,138.84282

The last fox shrine that I should find on my first exploratory stray through Numazu. This one is located near the shore of Suruga Wan (駿河湾 "Good Horse River Bay"), and is a side shrine of Kongouji (金剛寺 "Vajra Temple"). Within the small shrine building, there are several dozen tiny porcelain foxes, a few of which are gilded.

562 BRONZE ~ Nakachiyo Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 仲千代稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Nakachiyo Inari Jinja
English Translation: Relationship Eternity Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: Many
First Visit: 19-Jan-2019
Location: Numazu
Address: 34 Nakachō, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka-ken 410-0894
Coordinates: 35.09450,138.85679

A small fox shrine in the middle of a housing block. Several dozen tiny porcelain foxes reside within, and on the outside, there's a pair of life-sized stone foxes, the left of which has a kit, thus bringing the vixen side count to 17:35.
 

561 ~ Isamu Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 魁稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Isamu Inari Jinja
English Translation: Charging Ahead of Others Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 8
First Visit: 19-Jan-2019
Location: Numazu
Address: 457 Hon Numazu-shi, Shizuoka-ken 410-0867
Coordinates: 35.09326,138.85745

This parking lot is reserved for an Inari Shrine (and possibly a small car). Eight tiny foxes watch over this tiny stone shrine. Four of them are the typical tiny white porcelain foxes. The other four are more peculiar: They seem to be made out of metal or highly polished stone.
 

560 ~ Side Shrine of Myoukakuji

 

Japanese Name: ?
Romanized Reading: ?
English Translation: ?
Size: Small Side Shrine of Myoukakuji
Deity: Inari?
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 19-Jan-2019
Location: Numazu
Address: 1147-1 Shimogawaracho, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0841
Coordinates: 35.09032,138.85750

A small side shrine of Myoukakuji (妙覚寺 "Mysterious Learning Temple"). It's probably an Inari shrine, but I'm not sure. A pair of life-sized stone foxes watch over this one.

559 ~ Shintama Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 新玉稲荷神社 
Romanized Reading: Shintama Inari Jinja
English Translation: New Jewel Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari 
Fox Count: 3
First Visit: 19-Jan-2019
Location: Numazu
Address: 1169 Shimogawaracho, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0841
Coordinates: 35.08968,138.85868

The first fox shrine that I should find in Numazu. This one features a pair of life-sized fox statues, the left of which features a kit, and the right of which is explicitly depicted as male, making this a very strong point for my hypothesis that the kits signify the vixen among the pair. So this brings the vixen side count to 16:35.

🡻Toyokawa/Toyohashi - Numazu🡹

This is just a marker post. All shrines before this post are in Toyokawa, Toyohashi or in between, and all shrines after this are in or near Numazu.

558 ~ Tenpaku Inarisha

 

Japanese Name: 天白稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Tenpaku Inarisha
English Translation: Heaven White Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Shinmeisha
Deity: Inari 
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyohashi
Address: 125 Otemachi, Toyohashi, Aichi 440-0805
Coordinates: 34.76407,137.39137

The final fox shrine that I should find in the Toyokawa/Toyohashi area. This one is a side shrine of Shinmeisha (神明社  "God's Radiacne Shrine"), and is located in a courtyard, surrounded by medium-big buildings. A pair of life-szied stone foxes watches over this one.
 

557 ~ Inarisha

 

Japanese Name: 稲荷社
Romanized Reading: Inarisha
English Translation: Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Toyoasa Jinja
Deity: Inari 
Fox Count: 1
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyohashi
Address: Miyamae-53 Shimojichō Toyohashi-shi, Aichi-ken 440-0086 
Coordinates: 34.77822,137.38453

Having hiked all the way over to Toyohashi, I come across this tiny side shrine of Toyoasa Jinja (豊麻神社 "Bountiful Hemp Shrine"). A single slightly smaller-than-life stone fox hides within.
 

RABBIT 1 ~ Utari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 菟足神社 
Romanized Reading: Utari Jinja
English Translation: Dodder Foot Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: ?
Rabbit Count: 1 (+Relief)
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Miyawaki-2-1 Kozakaichō, Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken 441-0103
Coordinates: 34.79731,137.36587

With how many fox shrines are in this area, it might seem strange to have a rabbit shrine around, but here we are. I suppose the huge Omega Death Rabbit inside is enough to scare all the foxes away. It would take the Omega Death Fox to take it down, but fortunately for the rabbits, that one lives on Kyushu.

Anyway, I have a hypothesis as to why this shrine came to be associated with rabbits: The Kanji for the dodder plant (菟) is visually very close to the one for rabbit (兎), to the point where it is sometimes substituted for it, because why make Japanese any less confusing than it already is?

 

556 ~ Gosha Inari Jinja Okunomiya

 

Japanese Name: 五社稲荷社奥宮
Romanized Reading: Gosha Inari Jinja Okunomiya
English Translation: Five Shrines Inari Shrine Inner Shrine
Size: Medium Side Shrine of Gosha Inari Jinja
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 9
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Kakeyama-2 小坂井町欠山 Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken
Coordinates: 34.79920,137.36898

The inner sanctuary of Gosha Inari Jinja. You have to go past the main shrine and further into the forested hill area to get there. Let the Torii tunnel guide your way. Since it's a separate building, I'll count it as a separate shrine. There's more basket-foxes here, and a total of nine stone foxes, ranging from life-sized to small.
 

555 ~ Gosha Inari Jinja (Huge Torii & Basket Foxes)

 

Japanese Name: 五社稲荷神社
Romanized Reading: Gosha Inari Jinja
English Translation: Five Shrines Inari Shrine
Size: Big
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 16
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Kakeyama-2 小坂井町欠山 Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken
Coordinates: 34.79863,137.36857

This is one of those shrines that screams "HERE I AM!!!" with a Torii that is taller than most buildings in the area.

There's two pairs of life-sized stone foxes carrying baskets for offerings outside, and at least another two foxes inside the shrine itself.

554 ~ Fukuju Inari Daimyoujin

 

Japanese Name: 福寿稲荷大明神
Romanized Reading: Fukuju Inari Daimyoujin
English Translation: Long Life and Happiness Inari Great Radiant Deity
Size: Small Side Shrine of Ihouin
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 16
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: Gōchū-74 Shinozukachō, Toyokawa, Aichi 441-0102
Coordinates: 34.80257,137.37111

A small side shrine of Ihouin (威宝院 "Majestic Treasure Temple"), located at the street corner of the temple grounds. Technically, this is still within Toyokawa, but actually, it is part of the extended settlement stretch clinging to the railroad line to Toyohashi. You can see the rice fields on either side on the map.

Anyway, four foxes reside within this shrine: A pair of small stone foxes, and a pair of tiny porcelain foxes.
 

553 ~ Chuuou Inari

 

Japanese Name: 中央稲荷
Romanized Reading: Chuuou Inari
English Translation: Central Inari
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Hanaiji
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 16
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: 13-10 Hanaicho, Toyokawa, Aichi 442-0816
Coordinates: 34.81541,137.39183

Near the border of Toyokawa, there stands Hanaiji (花井寺 "Flower Well Temple"), a big Budhist temple that features this tiny little fox shrine sitting in the shade of its bell tower. A total of 16 tiny porcelain foxes reside within.
 

EXTRA: Toyokawa ~ City of Foxes

I've been all around Japan, and I haven't found a single city that celebrates foxes as much as Toyokawa. Let's start with the station, where you're already greeted by so many vulpine figuresall over.

 

Right outside the station, there's a roundabout with an array of statues depicting children dancing with foxes.

And there is more vulpinity all around town.

 

 

Including on the manhole covers.

 

And here's Koko-chan (狐娘ちゃん "Fox Daughter"), one of the city's mascot characters (the other being the Inari-Sushi fox Inarin that you've already seen above quite a lot)

Fancy opening your own fox shrine? They've got everything you need right here! A tiny fox shrine with a pair of life-sized stone foxes costs something around 2000€, if you have it.

That was a bit too pricey for me (and they wouldn't fit into my luggage no matter how hard I tried), so instead I picked key chains of the town's two vulpine mascot characters to bring along.

 

552 ~ Kyuu Okunoin Ato

 

Japanese Name: 旧奥の院跡
Romanized Reading: Kyuu Okunoin Ato
English Translation: Former Inner Hall Remnant
Size: Tiny Side Shrine of Toyokawa Inari
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 19
First Visit: 16-Jan-2019
Location: Toyokawa
Address: 1 Toyokawacho, Toyokawa, Aichi 442-0033
Coordinates: 34.82547,137.39219

The fifth and final vulpine side shrine of Toyokawa Inari. This one features a total of 19 life-sized stone foxes to watch over the tiny shrine. Both of the ones in front of the shrine feature a kit, which I suppose means they're both female, thus bringing the vixen side count to 15:35.