Red gates and white foxes

If you've held even one travel brochure advertising a trip to Japan, you've probably seen a photo of an avenue of red torii gates stretching into the distance. This is the Fushimi Inari shrine, a deity who patronizes good harvests, flourishing businesses, and families.

This is a temple complex that reaches high up the slope above the town of Inari, near Kyoto, although unlike most Shinto shrines, here the faithful move along avenues marked by vermillion torii gates. These are gates built from two vertical and two transverse beams, which mark the sacred area inhabited by the spirits of this place. What's special about this one is that the gates are donated by the believers, like votive offerings, in gratitude or in request for a prayer. Supposedly there are ten thousand of them...

The symbol of the deity Inari is a letter, considered a divine messenger, which is why you'll come across a figure of this animal at every shrine. And they are truly beautiful in their depictions.

Throughout Japan, foxes are associated with Inari.

What animals do you associate with the role of divine messenger?

Aleja bram torii w Fushimi Inari / Fushimi Inari Torii gates alley

Aleja bram torii w Fushimi Inari / Fushimi Inari Torii gates alley

Kamienna latarnia na tle bram torii z Fushimi Inari / A stone lantern in front of the torii gates of Fushimi Inari

Wejścia do świątyni Fushimi Inari strzegą dwa lisy / The entrance to the Fushimi Inari Shrine is guarded by two foxes.