11 ~ Yanagi Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 家内喜稲荷神社
English Reading: Yanagi Inari Jinja
English Translation: Willow Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 24-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Chuuou
Coordinates: 35.6897473,139.772227

Another tiny urban Inari Shrine sandwiched on three sides by tall buildings. The red scarfs worn by the foxes are signs of good luck, by the way. Or more precisely, it is popular belief that giving such a scarf or bib to a fox statue is supposed to bring good luck. Scarfs like these are actually quite rare, by the way. Bibs are seen much more commonly. As for the color, red and white are considered lucky colors in Japan, so with the foxes being white, that nicely completes that equation.

10 ~ Toyokawa Inari

Japanese Name: 豊川稲荷
English Reading: Toyokawa Inari
English Translation: Bountiful River Inari
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 24-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Chuuou
Coordinates: 35.6908645,139.7726817

This Shrine is special and meaningful, though at the time when I visited it, I had no idea. For starters, it does not have the typical "Jinja" (神社 "Shrine") in its name that all Shrines up until now featured, and there's a reason for that too. However, I should not actually realize as much until by sheer happenstance (or maybe Inari's guiding hand) I came across the actual Toyokawa Inari almost a full year later. I'll tell you more about it when I get to that. And until then, let it just be said that this is a small "Branch Shrine" of a Shrine that is much, much bigger.

9 ~ Ryousha Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 両社稲荷神社
English Reading: Ryousha Inari Jinja
English Translation: Both Companies Inari Shrine
Size: Tiny
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 24-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Chuuou
Coordinates: 35.6903455,139.7734732

With both work and Japanese lessons keeping me busy around this time, it was over a week before I could go out and search for shrines again. When I did, the first fox shrine I came across was this tiny shrine standing between two tall buildings in the heart of Tokyo. I wonder if these two buildings contain (or contained) the two companies after which it is named. There's a plaque nearby explaining its history, but even today my Japanese is still not good enough that I could translate it in a timely fashion. But if you Japanese is better than mine, then here's a link to a high-res image of the plaque.

8 ~ Takao Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 高尾稲荷神社
English Reading: Takao Inari Jinja
English Translation: Hightail Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 4
First Visit: 17-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Chuuou
Address: 〒103-0015 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Nihonbashihakozakichō, 10−7, 103 0015

A small shrine next to a small building, at least that's what it used to be back when I found it in 2018. If Google is to be believed, the small building has since been replaced by a block of flats. However the Shrine appears to be still there, only it has been modernized. I suppose that only goes to show how much the Japanese people still respect Shinto faith even today. Here's what it apparently looks like nowadays:

7 ~ Shusse Inari jinja

Japanese Name: 出世稲荷神社
English Reading: Shusse Inari Jinja
English Translation: Success in Life Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 6
First Visit: 17-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Koto
Address: 2 Chome-26-7 Eitai, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0034

 

 

A small Inari shrine standing sandwiched between two buildings on a little side road not far away from the old waterfront. Two foxes stand watch outside, and four more are sitting safely inside. Interestingly, the two outer foxes are caged, which is something that I have seen mostly in Tokyo. I'm reasonably certain this is to protect the fox statues from something, but is it birds, or is it humans?
 

6 ~ Hanei Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 繁榮稲荷神社
English Reading: Hanei Inari Jinja
English Translation: Luxuriant Prosperity Inari Shrine
Size: Medium
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 17-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Koto
Address: 2 Chome-18-12 Kiba, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0042

The first of three Inari Shrines I should visit on a stray from Koto (where my dorm was located) to central Tokyo. This one is located almost directly beneath one of Tokyo's highways, towering 3-5 stories above ground. This is also where I took the following vulpine selfie with one of the shrine guardians.

5 ~ Oomatsu Inari Jinja

 

Japanese Name: 大松稲荷神社
English Reading: Oomatsu Inari Jinja
English Translation: Great Pine Inari Shrine
Size: Small
Deity: Inari
Fox Count: 2
First Visit: 14-Feb-2018
Location: Tokyo-Minato
Address: 5 Chome-1-7 Minamiaoyama, Minato, Tokyo 107-0062

Another small Inari Shrine in the neighborhood of Aoyama that I found following the aforementioned job interview. This one displays another common feature of many Shinto shrines: The stone fence engraved with Kanji. And although I am not 100% certain,  think that the Kanji engraved on the fence are the names of the ones who donated to help finance the fence. At least the Kanji on the fences all read like names to me. By the way, that would also explain why the fences on different shrines have different spacing in between the pillars, with some so close that there's barely any gaps in between: More people donating means more posts and thus less gaps.