I am sure that most of you who’ve visited Fushimi Inari noticed the abundance of fox statues in the shrine compound. Do you know what they represent? Well, these foxes have a very important role in the shrine - They are the messengers of Inari, the god of rice. Ironically, they are also known as Inari.
Inari mostly come in pairs. One has a cylindrical object in its mouth, representing the key to the rice storehouse, while the other has a spherical object in its mouth, representing the spirit of the rice god.
It is said that the association of the fox with rice gods came a long time ago when a pair of foxes were once found playing nearby a rice field. Soon, the foxes mated and produces a healthy litter. The farmer who noticed this happen came to spread the news and soon, Inari were associated with the rice gods.
Today, there are various places of worship as you walk along Mt Inari. One of the more popular activities is to buy a Kuchi Ire Ningyou . The way Kuchi Ire Ningyou works is that you make a wish while praying. Then, you bring the set of three foxes home. When the wish comes true, you make your pilgrimage back to the shrine and place the fox gods back. Seeing lots of fox statues made me very happy because that meant that many people had their wishes granted!
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