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Inari Ōkami (Japanese: 稲荷大神), also called Ō-Inari (大稲荷), is the Japanese kami of foxes, fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture and industry, and general prosperity and worldly success, [1] and is one of the principal kami of Shinto. The name Inari can be literally translated into "rice-bearer". [2]
The deity can be represented as either male or female, but is most frequently identified as the female Húxiān Niángniáng (狐仙娘娘 "Fox Immortal Lady") whose animal form is a nine-tailed fox. [3] Mythology tells that fox spirits are masters of the arts of metamorphosis, and can manifest in human form to seduce men or women.
Inari is a popular deity associated with foxes, rice, household wellbeing, business prosperity, and general prosperity. Inari shrines are typically constructed of white stucco walls with red-lacquered woodwork, and their entrances are marked by vermilion torii. Both Buddhist and Shinto Inari shrines are located throughout Japan.
A nine-tailed fox spirit (kyūbi no kitsune) scaring Prince Hanzoku; print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Edo period, 19th century. In Japanese folklore, kitsune (狐, きつね, IPA: [kʲi̥t͡sɨne̞] ⓘ) are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser.
Each fox has a kitsunebi floating close to their face. Kitsune no Gyoretsu(Ōji 2010) Kitsune no Gyoretsu(Ōji 2010) Ōji Inari of Ōji, Kita, Tokyo, is known to be the head of Inari Ōkami, it is also a famous place for kitsunebi. [15] Formerly, the area around Ōji was all a rural zone, and on the roadside there was a big enoki tree.
As the fox messengers of Inari Ōkami, myōbu are often depicted with white or light colored fur. [2] However, the foxes are usually invisible. [5] Statues of myōbu often come in pairs of a male and a female, with one holding a wish-fulfilling jewel and the other holding a key, scroll, bundle of rice, or a fox cub. [2]
Kogitsune-maru (Little Fox) Sword of Manoj Unnithan, Inari Ōkami and its fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade Kogitsune-maru at the end of the 10th century. Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (also Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi and Tsumugari no Tachi), sword of the Japanese god Susanoo, later given to his sister Amaterasu.
In some legends, Ukemochi is also married to Inari [3] and in others, she is Inari. According to the Kojiki, after Susanoo was banished from heaven, he asked Ōgetsu-hime to give him food, and she did so by producing various food items from her nose, mouth and rectum. Thinking that she had poisoned the food by doing this, Susanoo killed her.