Inari Ōkami

[6] According to myth, Inari, as a megami (female Kami), was said to have come to Japan at the time of its creation amidst a harsh famine that struck the land.

"She [Inari] descended from Heaven riding on a white fox, and in her hand she carried sheaves of cereal or grain.

To show their gratitude the farmers offered red rice and fried bean curd to the foxes.

The most popular representations of Inari, according to scholar Karen Ann Smyers, are a young female food megami and an old man carrying grains of rice.

The separation of Buddhism and Shinto began in the late 19th century under the Meiji regime as one of the early reforms.

Because of her close association with kitsune, Inari is often believed to be a fox; though this belief is widespread, both Shinto and Buddhist priests discourage it.

[10][11] Inari's female aspect is often identified or conflated with Dakiniten, a Buddhist deity who is a Japanese transformation of the Indian dakini,[12] or with Benzaiten of the Seven Lucky Gods.

[15] The fox,[16] magical gems,[16] scrolls with divine writings,[16] and the wish-fulfilling jewel are prominent symbols of Inari.

Other common elements in depictions of Inari, and sometimes of their kitsune, include a sickle, a sheaf or sack of rice, and a sword.

The man realised he had abused a divine gift and in order to pacify the kami he built a shrine where the bird had landed.

Other practices in witchcraft and divination of the Ainu include the use of a fox skull, showcasing other similarities to Inari.

In 823 AD, after Emperor Saga presented the Tō-ji temple to Kūkai, the founder of the Shingon Buddhist sect, the latter designated Inari as its resident protector kami.

[25] Inari's divine role continued to expand; on the coast, they became a protector of fishermen; in Edo, they were invoked to prevent fires.

[26][27] Inari also began to be petitioned for good health; they are credited with curing such diverse afflictions as coughs, toothaches, broken bones, and syphilis.

After a government decree mandated the separation of Buddhist and Shinto beliefs, many Inari shrines underwent changes.

[30] In the Tokugawa period, when money replaced rice as the measure of wealth in Japan, Inari's role as a kami of worldly prosperity was expanded to include all aspects of finance, business, and industry.

[33] The entrance to an Inari shrine is usually marked by one or more vermilion torii and some statues of kitsune, which are often adorned with red yodarekake (votive bibs) by worshippers out of respect.

[35] The kitsune statues are at times taken for a form of Inari, and they typically come in pairs, representing a male and a female.

Almost all Inari shrines, no matter how small, will feature at least a pair of these statues, usually flanking or on the altar or in front of the main sanctuary.

[36] The statues are rarely realistic; they are typically stylized, portraying a seated animal with its tail in the air looking forward.

[37][38] Offerings of rice, sake, and other food are given at the shrine to appease and please these kitsune messengers, who are then expected to plead with Inari on the worshipper's behalf.

"[46] Smyers notes that Inari has been re-enshrined and divided with "far greater ease and frequency than other Shinto kami, and this may in part account for its great diversity.

"[This quote needs a citation] Smyers's analysis is essentially thus: "Inari seems to have struck a fortuitous balance: famous and powerful enough to make people feel confident that he can help them, but lacking the sort of clear historical narrative that would prevent his personalization to fit particular needs.

The pilgrimage begins starting "at the foot of the mountain, in the midst of elegant red buildings house the five kami of Fushimi Inari Shrine and a number of other deities.

Along the way through these torii and up the mountain, one will find various rock altars, tea houses, waterfalls, and many cedar trees, which symbolizes Inari's "manifestation in the grandeur of nature."

Upon reaching the peak, one "passes the place associated with the miraculous assistance of Inari in forging the emperor's sword.

This is accompanied by bringing offerings of rice products to a shrine to Inari each day and receiving o-mamori (protection charms).