Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin Temple of foxes
Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin is a temple in Tokyo with a rather long name. It has a thousand fox guardians! I can’t think of any other temple in the city with so many. A whole THOUSAND!! Okay, I haven’t counted every one of them, but you get the idea. It is a fun place for photographers.
The interesting thing is that the statues are all varying in size. Many are small, of course, but some are pretty large. Most have the red yodarekake (votive bibs) around their necks. Scrolls, jewels, or keys are in their mouths. They are great for photos!
Toyokawa is not big, but it is refreshing if that makes sense. Outside its fences is the concrete jungle. Inside are many trees offering a good amount of shade, especially on hot summer days. And those same trees block out some of the sounds of the city. Like many other temples and shrines in Tokyo, you enter a tiny oasis of peace and tranquility.
Photographers and Instagrammers can get some memorable Tokyo pictures at Toyokawa. Most people would spend about thirty to sixty minutes there with a camera. It’s not on the same level as Sensoji or Meiji Jingu, but it is fun. I’m sure you will leave pleased. The foxes are cool.
A Brief History of the Toyokawa Inari
The temple was built in 1828 and is a branch of Toyokawa Inari Temple in Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture. A long time ago people visited it for unusual reasons. It was the place to go if you lost things. Prevention of theft was another.
These days, it attracts entertainers and athletes. If you look at the ema (votive tablets), you’ll find many Jpop group names written on many of them. They are seeking some divine help.
Why so many foxes?
Foxes are the messengers of Inari, one of the temple’s resident deities. They (the god is androgynous) probably needed to send many messages.
What to photograph at Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin
The foxes are the main attraction and easy to find, mostly in one area, but you’ll find them in other places there too. For other shots, you’ll need to look around a little more. But it’s not so hard as so much is packed into the nooks and crannies. Here is my list:
- several other worship halls;
- incense burner and candles;
- lots of red and white flags, Inari’s traditional colors;
- a small garden, and;
- statues of other gods (Ebisu, Daikoku-ten, and Benzaiten, to name three).
Toyokawa being a popular place, often has many visitors. Some come to take photos and others to rest or even eat lunch. The majority come to pray. Please keep this in mind when taking pictures. Sometimes it is very easy to get so focused on taking a photo. At those times, we don’t realize we are blocking a pathway or intruding on a person’s privacy
Where is Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin?
Address: 1-4-7 Motoakasaka, Minato City, Tokyo
Here it is on a Google map:
Closest train station:
Akasaka-Mitsuke on the Tokyo Metro Ginza and Marunouchi Lines. Leave the station via Exit B and Toyokawa is a five-minute walk away.
Opening hours:
5:30 AM to 8 PM.
Admission costs
None
Photo spots near Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin
Conclusion
I doubt you’d spend much time at Toyokawa Inari, but it is a fun place to explore and photograph. Those little foxes are rather cute. Get out there and put a few pictures on Instagram. Good luck with it! Leave questions and comments below.
For more temple articles, look at:
External related website:
- Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin (official website)