Description

Japanese antique pair of small Inari Shinto shrine foxes made of pottery with traces of Mica in the clay. Originally painted, these foxes still have traces of bright pigment. Also called Zenko, these good spirit Kitsune (foxes) are specifically associated with the Goddess, Inari.

Believed to be both messengers and guardians, Kitsune served Inari in her role as the Goddess of agriculture, specifically rice. Part of the folklore surrounding the fox is it’s ability to shape shift into the human form. It is believed that Inari Okami herself sometimes took the form of a Kitsune.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 8″ high x 5″ wide x 2 3/4″ deep (each)