Sasuke Inari Shrine

photo by Benh LIEU SONG · CC BY-SA 2.0

Forty-nine torii in a row in the woods, and at the top thousands of porcelain foxes.

The path climbs through the woods under forty-nine vermilion torii set one behind the other, and when they end the real reason for climbing begins: thousands of porcelain foxes, of every size, left by visitors on every rock ledge. There is also a spring, the Reikōsen. ⚠️ The ground is uneven, and in the rainy season the upper stretch becomes muddy.

It was a sub-shrine of Tsurugaoka Hachimangū until 1909, then became independent. Tradition links it to Minamoto no Yoritomo, who is said to have received here, in a dream, the advice to go to war. It stands at the far end of the Sasuke valley, a little over three hundred metres from Zeniarai Benten.

ℹ️ Free entry, no opening hours stated. Twenty minutes on foot from Kamakura Station, and there is no car park. ⚠️ Wear closed shoes: the steps are uneven stone, and in June the upper stretch is muddy and slippery.

🚉 Kamakura · 17 min walk

Sources: sasukeinari.jp · enokama.jp · 4travel.jp

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