Inari (mythology)
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Inari (Japanese: 稲荷; also Oinari) is the Shinto god of fertility, rice, agriculture, and foxes. Inari's foxes, or kitsune, are pure white and act as his messengers.
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[edit] Folklore and mythology
Inari is variously depicted as either male or female. The god often appears as an old man, carrying a sack of rice, followed by two white foxes; however, Inari also frequently appears as a woman. It seems to be the case that, at one point, there existed two separate gods known as Inari — one male, one female; one a god of rice, the other a more general god of food and fertility. Over time, the separate gods became one composite mythological entity, who continued to be depicted as both male and female. The preferred gender of depiction varies by region and by one's personal beliefs. Because of Inari's close association with kitsune, Inari is also sometimes depicted as a fox. Folklore also attests to his shape-shifting abilities: on one occasion, Inari appeared to a wicked man in the shape of a monstrous spider as a way of teaching him a lesson.
Inari's female aspect is often identified or conflated with the Dakiniten, incarnations of the Buddhist deity Dakini, or with Benzaiten of the Seven Lucky Gods. [1]
[edit] Shrines and offerings
Inari is a popular deity in Japan, with temples located in most places throughout. The entrance to an Inari shrine is usually marked by one or more vermilion torii and some statues of kitsune, which are usually adorned with red bibs out of respect. These statues are at times taken for a form of Inari. The main shrine is the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Fushimi, Kyoto, Japan, where the paths up the shrine hill are marked in this fashion.
Offerings of rice, sake, and other food are given at the shrine to appease and please these kitsune messengers. Inari-zushi, a Japanese sushi roll of packaged fried tofu, is another popular offering. Fried tofu is believed to be a favorite food of Japanese foxes, and an Inari-zushi roll has pointed corners that resemble fox ears, thus reinforcing the association.
[edit] Festival
In some parts of Kyūshū, a festival or praying period begins five days before the full moon in November; occasionally it is extended to a full week. This is accompanied by bringing offerings of rice products to a shrine to Inari each day and receiving o-mamori (protection charms). The festival is particularly popular in the countryside near Nagasaki.
[edit] External links
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