The colour red in Shinto is associated with protection against illness and misfortune. Red has come to be associated with Inari because of the prevalence of its use among Inari shrines and their torii. Torii are painted in this bright shade, along with parts of the shrine buildings themselves. Inari shrines stand out amongst others due to the bright red colour. The fox is believed to be the messenger of Inari, though they are not Inari themselves. The statues typically hold a symbolic item in their mouths or beneath a front paw – most often a jewel and a key, but a sheaf of rice, a scroll, or a fox cub are also common. These fox statues usually come in pairs, representing a male and a female. The entrance to an Inari shrine is iconic, usually marked by one or more red torii and some statues of kitsune, often adorned with red yodarekake (votive bibs) by worshippers out of respect. However, at Takekoma Inari, the second-oldest Inari shrine in Japan, the three enshrined kami are Ukanomitama, Ukemochi and Wakumusubi. The five kami today identified with Inari at Fushimi Inari are Ukanomitama, Sarutahiko, Omiyamome, Tanaka and Shi. According to the records of Fushimi Inari, these kami have included Izanagi, Izanami, Ninigi and Wakumusubi. The identification of these kami has varied over time. Inari is also sometimes seen as a collection of three deities ( Inari sanza) since the Kamakura period, this number has sometimes increased to five kami ( Inari goza). Therefore, we believe that Ukanomitama and her workings are the reason that all of us are able to experience life and by worshipping Inari, we are giving thanks for the life bestowed upon us by this kami. Grains in Shinto are considered to be the root of life itself, giving us energy and nourishment from the Earth. Ukanomitama no kami, sometimes just referred to as Ukanomitama is a kami that is associated with foodstuffs, particularly rice and other grains, fertility, growth, rebirth and productivity. According to most Inari shrines, the most common kami perceived as Inari is Ukanomitama no kami. The term ‘Inari’ is often used for a collection of kami that have been identified as, or associated with Inari at one time or another. Inari is a mysterious kami in that the name ‘Inari’ can refer to a number of different kami. It is said that this does not include the home shrines, roadside shrines and other small shrines in and outside of Japan which would bring the number to way over 100’000. Inari has over 32,000 registered shrines and temples dedicated to them, one third of all Shinto shrines in Japan. Inari is a kami, or collection of kami from the Shinto faith of Japan. Patron of: Swords-smiths, merchants, actors and prostitutes Symbols: The fox, the horse, the wish-fulfilling jewel, sickle, sack of rice and the whip Names: Inari-Ōkamisama, Inari Daimyojin, Inari-Ōkami, Ōinari, Inari, DakinitenĪssociations: Foxes, fertility, reproduction, productivity, growth, rice and other grains, tea, sake, protection against fire, prosperity and worldly success My home kamidana (house shrine) to Inari Okami.
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