Takekoma Inari Shrine
The Settaya area’s Inari shrine features the standard pair of foxes at its entrance, but in place of the usual female fox is a statue of a vixen and her cub.
Casual observers might think this is meant to represent a mother protecting her child. However, experts suggest the intended meaning is actually the opposite: it is the child who is looking at the mother and saying, “When I grow up, I am going to protect you.” This relationship between parent and child is a theme that runs through other shrines and Japanese society in general.
Takekoma Inari Shrine is a source of pride for the local community. Beyond its aesthetic qualities, the shrine naturally holds a deeper spiritual significance. Good fortune, bountiful harvests, and success in business are said to await all those who offer prayers here.