Japanese Shinto / Inari / Fertility / Fox Totem / Garden shrine and altar

This listing is for one Classic Ceramic Kitsune Fox Sculpture. He is quite special as he has a scroll in his mouth. In Japan sometimes one sees Kitsune’s with scrolls. As Kitsune is a messenger for Inari, thus the scroll.

I modelled after shrine foxes that are available at various Kitsunes Fox Shrines throughout Japan. They are often made in a beautiful light sort of Paper Mache out of molds. The glaze did come out particularly amazingly on this piece. His right side is thoroughly copper, with these Indigo flashes, and a lot of texture, resulting from scarring. Scarring happens because the glazes are molten when removed from the kiln. As the piece is places on a bed of wood chips, these chips leave marks on the liquified glaze. As you turn him, you see this living fire, of rainbow colours. Turquoises dominate his left side, and his tail has an amazing mottling of turquoise and speckled with copper. A truly amazing piece!!!

In Japanese culture foxes have a great deal of Mythology associated with them. I feel foxes are mystical creatures.

Many of the shrines in Japan are devoted to Kitsune, a fox spirit. Kitsune means fox in the Japanese language. Kitsune is a representative of the god Inari, who is the god of Rice and the harvest. Since foxes are often seen at the rice harvest time hunting for mice, hence they have become a symbol of fertility. They are seen as a helper spirit, hence their connection with the Rice Harvest. Foxes have always occupied a special place in Japanese mythology. Often fox spirits are seen as a sort of shape-shifter, with the power to take human form. There exists many Japanese folk tales and legends in which a fox inhabits a human form. Sometimes portrayed as a Trickster, Kitsune are also depicted as faithful guardians, lovers, spouses and friends. In Japan, Kitsune is the Guardian of the deity, Inari, a Shinto kami. Inari is considered the Harvest god, and hence the god of Fertility. Inari foxes are called Zenko, and are benevolent and helping deities. The more tails a Kitunse has, the more spiritual power it has acquired. A Kitsune may acquire up to 9 tails.

Height: 20 cm
Width: 15 cm
Depth: 8 cm