Fox Ema
An appropriately designed ema in the shape of a fox at Fushimi Inari Taisha.
Fushimi Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine in Fushimi, Kyoto. It is the head of all Japan’s Inari shrines. It is famous for its many vermilion (reddish-orange) torii… And when I say “many,” I mean it. There are over 10,000 torii on the property. They stretch up the side of the mountain, Fushimi-yama and are donations from people all over Japan. The shrine itself was established in 711 and is dedicated to the Shinto god of rice, Inari, but his messenger is a fox. Inari has been depicted as a white fox who governs things such as metalwork, which is why we often see him associated with the great swordsmiths. Much of the structure was destroyed during the Onin war, but it was re-built as you can see.
