Inari is the god of Foxes, agriculture, rice, fertility, tea, sake, artisanship, industry and business. They are the patron of general prosperity and worldly success. In earlier Japan, Inari was also the patron of swordsmiths and merchants. Their familiar animals are foxes, specifically, white fox spirits, and their main shrine is Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyôto.
Appearance[]
In their first appearance, they have the appearance of a fox girl. She is considered adorable by Yukine and Hyori wants to pet her. She has fluffy fox ears and several fox tails.
Personality[]
Inari's trademark favourite food is Fried Tofu Pouch sushi, fittingly called Inarizushi.
Lore[]
- Inari's shrines always show the shintai (divine vessel) openly, which traditionally is a mirror. The paths to an Inari shrine is usually lined with torii, which are offerings of grateful worshippers for fulfilled wishes, such as having a child, an extraordinary harvest, or success in starting a business.
- Inari is a shapeshifter, and, depending on region or even occasion, is worshipped as male, female or even ambiguous sex. Their "standard" depictions are therefore a small, foxy child full of innocent wisdom, a woman that is the image of generosity, fertility and beauty, and an old man, often carrying a sack of rice, asking seemingly foolish questions. Depictions as a golden Nine-tailed fox or half-fox are considered nontraditional, but given their powers, probably not unlikely.
- Inari is the only kami other than Amaterasu herself to be called "Great God".
- The literal meaning of Inari's name
稲荷 is "a sack of rice" (稲 , rice plant,荷 , baggage; shoulder-pole load; bear (a burden); load; cargo; freight), befitting their status as the lord of anything edible.