Image via Unsplash of famous torii gate rows at Fushimi Inari Taisha
Inari Ōkami is the kami of grains, food, and prosperity, and served by fox messengers (they themselves are not a fox). I use they/them pronouns for them in English as they are depicted as various genders (often androgynously). They are quite famous due to pop culture. A common misunderstanding even in Japan is that Inari Ōkami is a fox kamisama, when this is untrue – when depicted in art they are depicted as a human (an androgynous figure, young woman or old man). Foxes are actually their messengers and servants, also known as gokenzoku-sama.
Inari Faith is an English translation of the broad term 稲荷信仰 for the worship of Inari Ōkami.
The head shrine for this faith is the famous Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyōto (pictured above), however, as it is a popular faith, there are Inari Jinja everywhere in Japan. Inari Ōkami was originally the ancestral kami of the Hata clan, an ancient clan that immigrated from what is now the Korean peninsula. Inari Ōkami usually is a name for a group of multiple kamisama – the specifics of which kamisama depend by the shrine, but typically it is Uka no Mitama no Mikoto, Sarutahiko no Mikoto, Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, Toyouke Ōmikami, or Dakiniten, for more syncretic locations.
One of the key characteristics of Inari Faith is a closeness to Buddhism, as Inari Ōkami has been syncretized with Buddhist beings such as Dakiniten. Inari Jinja can have lot of syncretism going on so it’s always best to find out the specific history of a shrine you are interested in, as well as figuring out what forms interest you and why. They are also enshrined at Buddhist temples as well. Some of the top Inari shrines are actually Buddhist temples.
There is also a lot of cultural fear as Inari Ōkami is known to punish disrespect with tatari, due to probably many reasons – the power of their goshintoku (sacred blessings) over food, as well as the syncretism with Dakiniten. There is no need to worry about this as long as you respect them, properly give thanks, and worship them sincerely. It is not possible to invoke tatari at a kamidana, and this option should not be considered unless someone is desecrating an Inari shrine.
Two recognizable features of Inari shrines are crimson torii gates (though this alone does not necessarily mean a shrine is to Inari Ōkami, if many are lined up in a row like at Fushimi, it does!) and dedicated statues of their sacred fox messengers.
A kamidana with items for Inari Ōkami
The Actual Act of Worship
The act of worship for Inari Ōkami itself depends on the shrine or temple, but at its core isn’t too different from standard home worship. You can enshrine Inari Ōkami with other kamisama on a kamidana home altar. One noticeable difference is the items at the kamidana – there is more red, often a small pair of gokenzoku statues, and sometimes the mark of the wish jewel on the shinki ceramic offering vessels. Some also have banners or lanterns bearing Inari Ōkami’s name as well, but these are not inherent necessities of Inari Faith. It’s also important to note that if you are considering worshipping other kamisama then a kami-specific shinki set may not be appropriate for a single kamidana (you could address this by having separate kamidana, but it is not mandatory to keep the kamidanas separate otherwise). Despite Buddhist syncretism, you should not burn incense at a kamidana and take care to read the appropriate norito prayer for them, as there are separate Inari-specific norito.
Art of Toyokawa Inari (Dakiniten)
The shingon for Dakiniten are as follows:
On Dakini Gyachi Gyaka-niei Sowaka
On Kirikaku Sowaka (this is also a part of the Inari Shingyo)
Naumaku Samanda Bodanan Kirika Sowaka
On Shirabatta Niriun Sowaka
The Inari Shingyō can be read here. The last three lines are the shingon of Dakiniten, a Buddhist/Hindu deity syncretized with Inari Ōkami. The Inari Mantra is said to have been written by a monk at the Buddhist temple of Aizenji.
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