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Product Description
Gray Fox Inari Shrine Statue carved from Hanazawa Stone quarried in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
2025 Model. We will ship the fox shown in the photo. The black parts are biotite.
📏 Product Details
| Title |
Gray Fox Inari Shrine Statue — Hanazawa Stone |
| Brand |
Tomatsu Stone Works |
| Material |
Hanazawa Stone (Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture) |
| Length |
3.74 in / 9.5 cm |
| Width |
6.10 in / 15.5 cm |
| Height |
9.45 in / 24 cm |
| Weight |
7.05 lbs / 3.2 kg |
| Year Made |
2025 |
| Parts |
One piece |
| Shipping Method |
Air (UPS / DHL) |
About Tomatsu Stone Works
Stone Carving Works Tomatsu (Tomatsu Stone Works) is a stone workshop founded in 1902. The fourth-generation master, a graduate of an art university, specializes in crafting Buddhist statues, guardian lion-dog statues (Komainu), busts, and dragon sculptures. It is a professional studio that produces these stone artworks upon request from other Japanese stonemasons.
About Inari Shrines and Foxes
Inari shrines and their fox motifs are beloved by international visitors for their mystical and uniquely Japanese atmosphere. The fox statues and talismans are also popular souvenirs.
What Is an Inari Shrine?
Inari shrines are dedicated to Inari Ōkami, one of the most widely venerated deities in Japan. There are more than 30,000 Inari shrines throughout the country, with the most famous being Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto.
Why Are Foxes Present at Inari Shrines?
- Inari is the god of rice and agriculture, and foxes were believed to protect grain from pests like mice.
- Foxes were seen as mysterious, intelligent creatures with supernatural powers.
- Living in rural and mountainous areas, foxes were viewed as intermediaries between the divine and human worlds.
Guardian Fox Statues (Koma-kitsune)
At Inari shrines, a pair of fox statues is typically placed at the entrance or near the main hall. These foxes resemble the traditional guardian lion-dog statues (komainu) and are often depicted with symbolic items:
-
Right fox (mouth open / "A" form): Often holding a jewel or key.
-
Left fox (mouth closed / "Un" form): May hold a scroll or rice stalk.
This pairing symbolizes the “A-Un” breathing—the beginning and end of all things, a common motif in Japanese religious architecture.
The Gray Fox Legend
The foxes associated with Inari are often depicted as gray foxes, symbolizing steadfastness and divine presence. Legends say that gray foxes appeared to humans as messengers of Inari, delivering guidance or performing miracles.
About Hanazawa Stone (花沢石)
Hanazawa Stone is quarried in Hanazawa-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
It’s prized for its moderate hardness, unique toughness, and uniformly fine grain.
The beauty of its finished surface earns it a reputation among expert stonemasons as a truly premium material.
While most commonly used for tombstones, Hanazawa Stone is also widely employed in memorials, monuments, sculptures, and other architectural or decorative applications.
How About Your Guardian Deity?
This fox statue brings a sense of protection and presence to any space, whether as garden décor or a symbolic ornament.
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