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Inari (mythology) facts for kids

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Blacksmith Munechika, helped by a fox spirit, forging the blade Ko-Gitsune Maru, by Ogata Gekkō
Inari and their fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade kogitsune-maru (Little Fox) in the late 10th century. This legend is the subject of the noh drama Sanjo Kokaji

Inari Ōkami (稲荷大神, also Oinari) is a very important kami (a Japanese god or spirit). Inari is known as the god of foxes, fertility, and rice. This spirit also looks after tea and sake (a Japanese drink). Inari is also connected to agriculture and industry. Many people pray to Inari for general prosperity and success in life.

In the past, Inari was also seen as the protector of swordsmiths and merchants. Inari can be shown as a male or female spirit. Sometimes, Inari is even seen as a group of three or five different kami. People have worshipped Inari since at least 711 AD. Some experts think the worship started even earlier, around the late 400s.

Inari's History and Popularity

Worship of Inari became very popular across Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). By the 1500s, Inari was known as the protector of blacksmiths and warriors. Inari is a popular figure in both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs in Japan.

Many shrines in Japan are dedicated to Inari. More than one-third of all Shinto shrines, about 32,000, honor Inari. Even today, some modern companies respect Inari as a patron spirit. For example, the cosmetic company Shiseido has shrines on top of their main buildings.

Inari's Messengers: Kitsune

Inari's special helpers are their foxes, called kitsune. These foxes are usually shown as pure white. They act as messengers for Inari. You can often see statues of these white foxes at Inari shrines. Many of these statues wear red bibs, which are offerings from people.

Images for kids

  • A man confronted with an apparition of the Fox goddess

    Inari appears to a warrior. This portrayal of Inari shows the influence of Dakiniten concepts from Buddhism.

  • Vulpes vulpes laying in snow

    The Hokkaido red fox

  • Kobayashi Izanami and Izanagi

    Searching the Seas with the Tenkei (天瓊を以て滄海を探るの図, Tenkei o motte sōkai o saguru no zu). Painting by Kobayashi Eitaku, 1880–90 (MFA, Boston). Izanagi to the right, Izanami to the left.

  • Inuyama inari 1

    Statue of a kitsune adorned with a red votive bib in a shrine at Inuyama Castle. Many castles in Japan contain Inari shrines.

  • FushimiInariTorii

    Red torii along a path at the Fushimi Inari shrine in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto.

  • Ojiyama-inari,王子山稲荷,篠山市1021722

    Torii of ojiyama-inari

  • KakigaraInari shrine

    Kakigara-Inari at Hase-dera (Kamakura)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Inari (Japón) para niños

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