Spotting Foxes at Toyokawa Inari Temple

Close up look at fascinating Akasaka fox temple

Larry Knipfing Apr 08, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>What a magnificent fox; he looks like a force to be reckoned with</p>

<p>An angry fox inside one of the smaller temples where locals come to pray daily</p>

<p>A pair of foxes looking up at...what are they looking at?!</p>

<p>One of the foxes at Toyokawa Inari Temple, greening with age</p>

<p>An interesting combination of large and small fox statues</p>

<p>Curtain and beautiful adornments of one of the smaller alters in the temple that locals come to pray at</p>

<p>Sharp ears, sharp eyes, sharp teeth. A fox!</p>

<p>A corner of the outside wall of Toyokawa Inari Temple, Akasaka</p>

<p>This fox is carrying something in its mouth; perhaps a sacred scroll, perhaps a flask of rice, perhaps a key</p>

<p>It certainly doesn't look like a fox!</p>

<p>The temple has a lot of flowers both inside and outside the side alters</p>

Toyokawa Inari is a branch temple that is both colorful and fascinating and easy to visit. This temple has its origins in Toyokawa city, Aichi prefecture, over 700 years ago.

The gods enshrined here protect believers from suffering. Just a 5-minute walk from Akasaka-Mitsuke Station on the Tokyo Metro's Ginza Line or Marunouchi Line, the temple is famous for its love of the fox. Although you may think that these look a lot like dogs, they are actually foxes. In Japanese lore, the fox is known for being clever, and often deceitful.

Come and enjoy a visit to the temple and see how many of the unique foxes in my photos your can spot.

Toyokawa Inari Temple

Larry Knipfing @larry.knipfing

Born on Long Island, New York in 1958, I have spent the last 30 years of my life living in Japan, and enjoying every minute of it! I especially love photography, and Japan is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world to photograph! My other love is fiction writing and I have pub...