Kitsune fox statue at roadside Shinto shrine, Omiya, Saitama, Japan. The fox (kitsune in Japanese) is closely associated to Inari. However, the fox i

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Kitsune fox statue at roadside Shinto shrine, Omiya, Saitama, Japan. The fox (kitsune in Japanese) is closely associated to Inari. However, the fox is merely Inari’s messenger and servant. These animals are believed to help protect the rice crops and help people in general. Some stories portray the kitsune as tricksters and wicked animals.

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Size: 4715px × 3536px
Photo credit: © John Steele / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: deity, farmers, food, fox, guardian, harvest, inari, japan, kitsune, messenger, oinari, omiya, religion, rice, roadside, sacred, saitama, shinto, shrine, tokyo