Oji Inari Shrine (Tokyo)

 temple, interesting place, shinto shrine, historic landmark

Date back to Heian Period. The beautiful wooden shrine has a hand painted ceiling. Also visit their mysterious back garden.

Three waterfalls of the famous Seven Waterfalls of Oji, pictured by Hiroshige, three used to be in the shrine premises; they no longer exist and a tiny artificial waterfall in the premises serves as a reminder (three more waterfalls are in the nearby Nanushino Taki Koen).

Once this used to be the most important Inari shrine of the Kanto area.
Since kitsune (foxes), instead of Korean dogs (often called lions), are the shrine guardians, it was believed that wild foxes come to pay homage to the shrine on New Year's eve; they were supposed to summon under a big tree nearby and prepare for the shrine visitation, and then proceed inside. This legend inspired many artist (including Hiroshige), and local shopkeepers - who used to arrange midnight processions of fox-masked people on the New Year eve. Kitsune gathering can also be seen on the shrine votive tablets.

Another belief was that two of the kitsune statues tended to escape from time to time, seeking adventures elsewhere; therefore, the poor beasts were caged in order to keep them to their post of duty :)