Kyubi Inari Shrine at Nasu Yumoto

Nine-tailed foxes worshiped for their guile

Larry Knipfing Sep 28, 2013 - 1 min read

<p>Gate and stairs leading up to the alter</p>

<p>9-tailed fox terrorizing Prince Hanzoku by Utagawa Kuniyoshi</p>

<p>At the back-most part of the small shrine (within the larger shrine) </p>

<p>One of two foxes protecting the shrine</p>

<p>Worshiped for their guile and cunning</p>

<p>A smaller shrine within the main shrine</p>

Kyubi Inari (Kitsune Jinja) is a shrine within a shrine at Nasu Onsen Jinja, in the Nasu Onsen area of Tochigi Prefecture. Although there is little information available about the shrine, there are many shrines like it in Japan (the foxes came originally from China and India), where foxes are worshiped. Why foxes? They are clever, cunning, creatures that have supernatural powers and who sometimes terrorize and kill humans. Nasu was the stage for a great battle with the fox, and this shrine is here to commemorate the battle.

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...