Shozoku Inari Shrine, Kita

Shozoku Inari Shrine stands as a small but historically significant shrine in the residential area south of Oji Station in Tokyo's Kita Ward. The shrine has been erected on the spot where there used to be an old enoki (nettle tree), which became central to one of Tokyo's most enchanting legends. The shrine is depicted in ukiyo-e prints from the Edo period, and a stone monument of the enoki tree remains at the site today.

During the Edo Period (1603-1868), it was said that on New Year's Eve, foxes from all over the Kanto region gathered in Oji underneath a large hackberry tree, where blue fires were spotted. The blue fires were thought to be the breath of the sacred foxes coming from various shrines. After donning costumes, the foxes then proceeded to Oji Inari Shrine at the start of the new year. This tree became known as the Changing Tree, and the legendary scene was immortalized by ukiyo-e master Utagawa Hiroshige in his print "New Year's Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Oji". The Oji Fox Parade, which began in 1993, recreates the scene from that woodblock print.

The shrine serves as a reminder of the mystical folklore surrounding foxes as divine messengers in Japanese Shinto tradition. Visitors will find this intimate shrine tucked away on quiet back streets, offering a glimpse into Edo-period legends and the spiritual connection between foxes and Inari worship. The shrine provides a tranquil contrast to Tokyo's busier tourist destinations while maintaining deep cultural significance as the location where mythical foxes gathered before their annual procession.

The shrine is located about a 5-minute walk from Oji Station. Oji can be reached by train on the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line (19 minutes from Tokyo Station) or by subway on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line. As with most small neighborhood shrines in Japan, admission is free and the grounds are accessible to visitors throughout the day.