Fushimi Inari is one of the most important and most famous shrines in Japan. Incidentally, it's also one of the few most foreigners know about. I think the usual way I've heard it referred to by foreigners is as "that shrine with all those torii". Even I did before I learned its proper name and if I were to describe it now ... I probably do so the same way!
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| A tunnel of torii. |
But just why does it have so many? A big reason is that every year dozens of companies donate one, which means every year the number of torii increases.
So what? Doesn't every shrine receive donations? Yes, but not to this degree. You have to understand who Inari is.
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| Inari's horse. You can also make monetary offerings. |
About Inari
Inari is a war god, but primarily his (or her if you aren't Shinto) role is looking over rice. What does Japan thrive on? Take massive amounts of pride in? You guessed it, rice. The shrine also has quite a reputation for the amount of foxes it has, but it's important to note that they are not Inari, but a fox couple that acts as his messengers, especially during harvest season. Because Inari is a war deity as well, you can also pray to his (or her) horse. It's actually pretty interesting, and pretty fun to walk up to the main gates and see the horse waiting there with all these carrots in front of it. The one place you are forbidden from entering in the shrine area, however, is Mt. Inari where the deity is said to reside. Interestingly enough, Inari's full name is OInari-Okami, which suggestions a connection to wolves as well as a signifier of sacredness (Okami can be read as wolf and great god). As wolves were once thought to be alternate forms of foxes (foxes would often retreat into the mountains where wolves were plentiful), this is probably no coincidence.
About Foxes
During the harvest, Japan most likely had a dense population of foxes. As such, they came to be associated with the harvest god. But hold on, Japan does not just view them as a positive benefactor. No, only foxes associated with Inari are. Others are portrayed as tricksters and largely malevolent, often tricking men to their deaths in the woods with their fox fire. In fact, foxes were so negative that it was thought that when a woman became upstart, she was possessed by a fox spirit. Because Inari's foxes were so wise, as youkai and foxes that live for a long time were often thought to have knowledge beyond humanity's, they were enshrined in Fushimi Inari as well. Even along the roads within the torii you can spot small fox statues hanging around as if waiting to come alive. They guard one of the main shrines (a mirror indicates the shrine of a kami), as well as the main entrance.
Food Food Food!
Did you know that there are two foods specifically associated with foxes and Inari that have nothing to do with rice? That may be a bit surprising, but Inari is a harvest god so I suppose it could really be related too. Fried tofu is a treat found largely in Inari, as foxes are said to be unable to live without it they love it that much. Thus there are foods like Kitsune Udon (fox noodles) and Inari Sushi (a cucumber roll wrapped in fried tofu) which are both delicious and plentiful in the region. As it's mass produced by Nishin in their instant noodles, you can most likely find a version of it at your local Asian grocer.
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| One of the guardian foxes. |
~Zenko~
