Takekoma Inari Shrine 竹駒稲荷神社（看板）

Official explanation

The Settaya area’s Inari shrine features the standard pair of foxes at its entrance, but in place of the usual female fox is a statue of a vixen and her cub.

Casual observers might think this is meant to represent a mother protecting her child. However, experts suggest the intended meaning is actually the opposite: it is the child who is looking at the mother and saying, “When I grow up, I am going to protect you.” This relationship between parent and child is a theme that runs through other shrines and Japanese society in general.

Read the full explanation

Takekoma Inari Shrine is a source of pride for the local community. Beyond its aesthetic qualities, the shrine naturally holds a deeper spiritual significance. Good fortune, bountiful harvests, and success in business are said to await all those who offer prayers here.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.