Best known for Senbon torii, the over 5000 vermillion torii gates, the shrine Fushimi Inari Taisha from Kyoto is also famous for its large number of kitsune (foxes) statues. Messengers of Inari, the kami worshiped here, the kitsune are omnipresent in the shrine, starting right at the entrance, where the spectacular Main Gate (built by the famous Toyotomi Hideyoshi) is flanked by two large kitsune statues. In case you’re wondering, the kitsune from the left holds in his mouth the keys to the granaries, because Inari is the kami of rice.

Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

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