Jozan Inari Shrine is a shrine full of foxes that was loved by Meiji era novelist Yakumo Koizumi.

As you pass through the vermilion-lacquered torii gate, you will be greeted by stone foxes of all sizes, from foxes up to 2 meters high to foxes made of porcelain several centimeters in height. Among them is a restored fox statue that is said to have been a particular favorite of Koizumi Yakumo.

It is said that there were thousands of stone foxes in the Meiji era, when Yakumo often visited this shrine, and even today there are still more of them than at any other Inari shrine.

It was originally built by Naomasa Matsudaira, the first lord of the Matsue domain, and the shrine building is also enshrined with wooden foxes and other objects made by the master craftsman Kobayashi Jodei.

Once every 12 years, a boat festival called Horan Enya is held to pray for a rich harvest. It is a Shinto ritual that has continued since the Edo period, and is called one of Japan's three great Funa Shinto rituals, along with Hiroshima Prefecture's Kangen Festival and Osaka Prefecture's Tenjin Festival.

■ Basic information
Name: Shiroyama Inari Shrine
Address: 477 Tonomachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
Nearest station: JR Matsue Station (18 minutes by bus)
Business hours: You can walk around anytime
Price: Free
No regular holiday
Parking: Shrine parking lot available

*Please check the website for detailed information.