A pair of foxes, tail standing upright, ears peaked, cast in bronze to represent the protector deity of Inari from Shinto religious context. They are 12 x 17 x 26 cm (5 x 7 x 10 inches) each and in excellent condition, dating from the 20th century.
In Japanese folklore, foxes are intelligent, mysterious beings capable of crossing between the human and spirit worlds. The fox (kitsune) occupies a unique place in Japanese culture as the messenger (tsukai) of Inari Okami. Although many people casually refer to the foxes themselves as "Inari," the fox is not the deity but rather the divine attendant who serves and protects Inari. Originally, Inari was primarily associated with rice cultivation and agricultural fertility, the primary basis of all commerce. Over time, Inari's sphere expanded to include prosperity in all manners and household well-being. The key clutched in one fox mouth represents the key to the rice granary or storehouse. In premodern Japan, rice was not merely food—it was wealth, taxation, political power, and survival. Possessing the key symbolized control over abundance and prosperity. The "ball" held by the other is not a simple sphere but a sacred wish-fulfilling jewel, known as a Joju or Cintamaṇi. At Inari shrines, the hōju often represents the spiritual treasure or divine energy entrusted to the fox messenger. Together they express a central theme of Inari worship: prosperity is not merely economic wealth but the harmonious flourishing of both worldly and spiritual life. Sometimes the key is substituted with a sheaf of rice, and the hoju substituted with a scroll, the meaning is the same.
