Toyokawa Inari (Toyokawa-kaku Myogon-ji Temple)

History and Divine Virtue

Toyokawa Inari is a temple of the Soto Zen school in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, formally named Enpukuzan Toyokawa-kaku Myogon-ji. Founded in 1441 by the Zen master Tokai Gieki, it enshrines the Thousand-Armed Kannon as its principal image and, as guardian of the gate, Toyokawa Dakini Shinten, a deity merged with the Inari faith — from which it has long been known affectionately as Toyokawa Inari. Because Dakini Shinten is depicted astride a white fox bearing sheaves of rice, the temple became bound up with Inari worship and draws pilgrims from across the country seeking prosperity in business and safety at home. In the Edo period the magistrate Ooka Tadasuke was a devoted follower, and the shrine he established at his residence became the origin of the Tokyo branch temple. At the rear of the grounds, the Reikozuka is lined with more than a thousand stone foxes dedicated by the faithful, forming a scene unlike any other. With Fushimi and Saijo, it is counted among the Three Great Inari of Japan.

Visiting Notes

• As this is a Buddhist temple, worship with palms joined; before the main hall the custom is to chant 'Namu Toyokawa Dakini Shinten'.
• The Reikozuka holds over a thousand dedicated fox statues, growing denser the deeper one walks — not to be missed.
• Inari-zushi is the specialty of the temple town, and the approach is lined with long-established shops.
• The Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Branch in Akasaka is directly administered by this temple, and many visit both.

Deities and Location

Enshrined Deities

Toyokawa Dakini Shinten, Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu (principal image)

Location

愛知県豊川市豊川町 (undefined)

Access

About 5 minutes on foot from Toyokawa Station on the JR Iida Line or Meitetsu Toyokawa Line.

Lineage

Wealth & Prosperity, Career & Victory

Visiting hours, goshuin (shrine stamps), and festival dates change; please confirm the latest information through each shrine's official announcements. If you find an error in this entry, we would be grateful if you let us know.