Japanese traditions, pair of kitsune at Fushimi Inari, Kyoto

Kitsune is the Japanese word for "fox", but in the Japanese folklore it designates a mythical creature, the messenger of Inari Ōkami, one of the most important kami in the Shinto religion. Since the Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto is the head shrine of Inari, there are hundreds of statues representing kitsune, but not all of them are alike.

At the statue photographed here, representing two kitsune holding a ring in their paws, you may notice an unusual activity because the visitors are throwing here small pebbles or coins. Why? The tradition says that you will have good luck if you manage to throw the pebble through the ring...