Fushimi Inari Taisha

Fushimi Inari Taisha (Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine) located in Kyoto is a well known Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and harvest who protects the rice fields. In the past, rice and good harvest was associated with wealth and prosperity, so now, perhaps because business is the modern day equivalent, Inari is now associated with success and prosperity in business (1). Fushimi Inari Taisha actually serves as a headquarters for all the other shrines in Japan also dedicated to Inari.

Most Shinto shrines have shishi (or lion-dogs) as guardians which help to ward off the evil spirits. Inari shrines however, like this one, have foxes because the fox are Inari’s messengers. These foxes can be seen throughout the area often in front of the gates called torii gates.  Some hold keys for the rice granaries in their mouths (1). And in addition, the red bibs are symbolic too. Supposedly red is a color for expelling demons and illness in Japanese folk legends (6). 

Torii gates are a representation of the boundary between the profane and the sacred.  According to a Scholarly essay written by Randall L Nadeau, “they represent invisible barriers between an inner world that is clean, pure, and bright and an outer world that is spiritually polluted and morally uncertain.” At several shrines, torii gates are lined up right after one another to create a tunnel effect. Fushimi Inari Taisha is particularly famous for this. Nadeau writes, “Passing though these gates, there is a magical sense of depending spirituality: a cleansing of outer pollution and a growing awareness of inner purity.” Another element of purification lies in the shimenawa (the rope and strips of paper shown below). These are used in the markings of sacred places; they ward off evil spirits and are sometimes used to mark the presence of a kami (Japanese for god) (5). 

The area also specializes in the special dishes, kitsune udon (udon topped with fried tofu) and inari sushi (sweetened rice stuffed inside of a pocket of fried tofu). This fried tofu called aburaage is said to be a treat particularly favored by the foxes. In fact, pieces of aburaage can be seen laid out as offerings to the kami.

sources:

1. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-fushimi-inari.htm
2. http://www.trinity.edu/org/ics/ICS%20Issues/ICS%20VI/ICS-VI-1-Nadeau.pdf
3. http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/kyoto_fushimi_inari_taisha.htm
4. http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/fox-inari-university-of-wiscon.htm
5. http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shrine-guide-2.shtml
6. http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/color-red.html