Japanese antique shinto shrine ceramic Inari fox guardian and Shinto Kami (god).

Rare glass eyes and remnant red (mouth) and white paint on its base still present and it holds the sacred hoju in its mouth.

Dimensions: 16 inches tall and 7.5 inches wide

Provenance: Private Tokyo collection

Wonderful sinuous castings, fine original old patina, unusual opportunity. Surface wear from appropriate age.

History:
Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. According to Yo¯kai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape shift into men or women. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others as foxes in folklore often do other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers and wives.

Foxes and human beings lived close together in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto kami or spirit and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox’s supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has they may have as many as nine the older, wiser and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a Shinto deity.

Worship of Inari spread across Japan in the Edo period, and by the 16th century Inari had become the patron of blacksmiths and the protector of warriors. Inari is a popular figure in both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs in Japan. More than one-third (32,000) of the Shinto shrines in Japan are dedicated to Inari. Modern corporations, such as cosmetic company Shiseido, continue to revere Inari as a patron kami, with shrines atop their corporate headquarters.

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