Fox in the shadow (Photo: Takako Sakamoto)

Fox Shrine inside Shibata Shrine

Guardian deity moved from Kyoto Fushimi Inari Shrine

Takako Sakamoto   - 1 min read

There is a small Fox Shrine on the premises of Shibata Shrine in Fukui. Shibata Shrine, as you may know, enshrines a famous samurai of the Sengoku Period, Shibata Katsuie, and his wife Oichi.

Kitano-Sho Castle was built here in 1575, and both Shibata Shrine and Fox Shrine now stand on its ruins.

He invited a guardian deity from Kyoto Fushimi Inari Shrine and established a small Fox Shrine here. So, even though it is now included inside Shibata Shrine and doesn't stand out, this Fox Shrine had been here long before Shibata Shrine was built in 1890.

This Fox Shrine is the first shrine you encounter if you enter the Kitano-Sho Castle Ruins from the shopping street side. Although it's small, two cute fox statues will be waiting for you with mischievous smiles!

Takako Sakamoto

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...