Ōjiinari Shrine (Ōjiinari no Yashiro) from "Guide to Famous Spots of Edo Vol. 5".
Compiled by Saitō Chōshū, Painted by Hasegawa Settan 1834-1836 (Tempō 5 to Tempō 7) Kaga Collection 256

Ōjiinari Shrine is the chief shrine of the god Inari in the Kanto region. Next to the shrine there is a large Enoki (hackberry) tree called "Ishō Enoki" (or sometimes "Shōzoku Enoki"). A literal translation of these names would be the "Costume Enoki". There is a legend that each year, on December 31st, foxes from throughout the eight Kanto provinces would gather at this tree to decide on their rankings for the coming year', and dressing appropriately, they would then visit the shrine itself. It was said that atmospheric ghost lights (lights of an unknown origin) were believed to tell the fortune of the coming year. The modern address of the shrine is Kitamachi 1-chōme, Kita Ward.


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