Yodo-jinja, Shinto shrine in Japan
Yodo-jinja is a small Shinto shrine in Fushimi-ku featuring simple wooden buildings and stone lanterns surrounded by dense woodland. The site displays red torii gates at its entrance, fox statues, and stone altars that show significant age.
The shrine was connected to the Inari faith and peaked as a popular prayer site for good harvests and health. A torii gate was donated by artist Doumoto Insho in the late 1950s, and the shrine originally served to offer protection against diseases like tuberculosis.
The site reflects the Inari tradition with small altars and offerings made to the kami spirit. Red fox statues here symbolize the messenger of the rice deity, connecting visitors to an old practice of honoring spirits for protection and health.
Wear sturdy shoes for the visit since the path goes through bamboo forest and overgrown woodland that is not well-marked. The shrine is best visited during daylight hours, and it is wise to bring water since there are no shops nearby.
Artist Doumoto Insho created two torii gates in memory of his mother, one during her lifetime and another after her death. The grounds today are heavily overgrown with moss-covered stones and partially collapsed roofs, giving the site a ghostly quiet appearance.
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