Inari (shrine)

稲荷(Inari)

Inari Shrine is often called its nick name "Oinari-san or Oinari-sama" and devotion to it is one of the most
popular religious beliefs among Japanese. There are approx. 32,000 Inari Shrines and
its head shrine is Fushimi Inari in Fushimi, Kyoto Pref.
There are approx. 5,000 red torii (sacred gate) donated by believers in Fushimi Inari.

Inari Shrine are dedicated to the god of grain, Ukanomitama-no-kami 宇迦之御魂神　(Inari-Daimyojin 稲荷大明神).

In Inari Shrine, a fox is a messenger of the god. It eats a field mouse which eats grain, so people linked it to a guardian deity of the grain. It was a profitable animal for agriculture, so people appriciated and offerd various vegetables in front of a hole of fox. Sorry enough it's a predatory animal and didn't eat anything. However, maybe it ate a fried tofu by some reason or other. Then people thought that a fox like a fried tofu. That is the reason why people offer fried tofu to the Inari Shrine. Inarizushi Inarizushi is a kind of sushi, a pouch of sweet fried tofu with sushi rice. (Now there are varieties) It is named after Inari - Daimyojin whoes gardian, a fox, like a fried tofu.

All Inari Shrine has red torii gates. When we grow rice

Kitsune no Yomeiri 狐の嫁入り/Fox's Wedding
A bride with a mask of fox	A groom with a mask of fox