Some years ago I visited Lafcadio Hearn’s house in Matsue City, which is preserved just as when he lived in it. It’s an attractive former samurai house next to the moat around Matsue Castle. The garden he described in his … Read the rest
Category: Inari (Page 2 of 5)
Judging by the popularity of Inari among non-Japanese Shinto sympathisers, it would seem that fox guardians have a special appeal. There’s certainly something about the liminal creatures that appeals to the imagination. Perhaps it helps explain why Inari shrines and … Read the rest
Shinto opportunity in the City of Angels coming up!
Little Tokyo in Los Angeles celebrates New Year’s Day with an Oshogatasu Festival. Live entertainment, stalls, Japanese food, mochi-making, taiko, kendo – and a Shinto priestess with sacred items on … Read the rest
With the spread of Shinto overseas, there are some exciting transformations taking place as innovators adapt Japanese practice to their needs. This is particularly evident in the marriage of Shinto to contemporary paganism, with pioneers creating something that might be … Read the rest
Taikodani Inari Shrine is located in Tsuwano, near the western end of Honshu. It is one of the leading Inari shrines, of which Wikipedia has this to say: “According to a 1985 survey, 32,000 shrines — more than one-third … Read the rest
Fushimi Inari is of such importance that an understanding of its role is essential for anyone interested in Japanese religion and culture. Unusually amongst the major shrines, its kami is not an ancestor or relative of the emperor. It’s rather … Read the rest
It’s at times like this that one understands why Kyoto has been voted the most popular destination on earth by readers of Time Inc’s Travel and Leisure Magazine. We’re in the midst of the Gion Festival, between the first … Read the rest