#18. Ota

Cycling may be something that I love to do but I’m not really one who goes for a ride without some kind of aim whether it be to a restaurant, a sight or just my workplace. With that in mind, and desperate to get out on my new bike, I decided to cycle round ALL the Inari Shrines in Tokyo taking each of the 23 wards one at a time.

Inspired by recent interest in tiny shrines, this idea seemed like a good way of hunting them down in a slightly more orderly fashion. This really is not so much about the actual Inari Shrines but just getting out on my bike and having a means to an end. Please note that there are many more Inari Shrines (as well as other shrines) than what’s listed below but these were all the ones registered on Google Maps. The times in brackets next to the name of the shrines note the (approximate) time of day I was at each place.

Starting Point: Tokyo Fox Global Operations Centre, Itabashi-ku (07:40)

1. Myotoku Inari Shrine @ 1-32 Kitasenzoku (08:43)

2. Inari Shrine @ 3-14 Nakamagome (09:01)

3. Kurozuru Inari Shrine @ 5-4-2 Central (09:15)

4. Fushimi Inari Shrine @ 2-24-8 Omorinishi (09:30)

5. Omori Inari Shrine @ 1-6-8 Omorihigashi (09:35)

6. Inari Shrine @ 6-26-10 Omorikita (09:42)

7. Anamoriinari Shrine @ 5-2-7 Haneda (10:49)

8. Shirauo Inari Shrine @ 5-27-8 Haneda (11:02)

9. Former Anamori Inari Shrine @ 1 Hanedakuko (11:06)

10. Inari Shrine @ 3-5 Hanedakuko (11:23)

11. Kamome Inari Shrine @ 6-20-10 Haneda (12:27)

12. Matsumi Inari Shrine @ 2-14-9 Haneda (12:35)

13. Takayama Inari Shrine @ 3-12-2 Honhaneda (12:39)

14. Jusaiwainari Shrine @ 1-7 Honhaneda (12:43)

15. Massha Inari Shrine @ 1-6-7 Minamikamata (13:02)

16. Inari Shrine @ 4-18-20 Kamata (13:08)

17. Inari Shrine @ 2-10 Shinkamata (13:19)

18. Mine Inari Shrine @ 18-18 Nishiminemachi (13:36)

Date: Sunday 20th December 2020

Weather: Cold with sunny intervals

Area: 59.46 km²

Distance: 90 km

Time: 7:00 hrs

Calories Burned: 2000

Top: Leicester City 1975 red away shirt

Notes: The most epic of rides, and the one I feared doing the most once I decided to embark on this silly adventure! A very early start was needed in order to get to and away from Haneda Airport at a reasonable time. Anamori Inari Shrine (#7) is one of the hidden gems of Tokyo and a good substitute for those who can’t go all the way to Kyoto to see such a sight! It’s not as hidden as the tenth one here though which is one of the most elusive! Most of the other Inari shrines were the small kind which I like. The longest journey in this series but a satisfying one.

Fox Rating: 6/10

Nearby Sights: Mr X Vending Machine, Suganuma Chassis Pool, Haneda Swing Bridge, Shinmei Daijingu Honmiya, Senzoku-ike Lake, Ikegami Honmonji Temple, Shin-Godzilla filming locations, Denenchofu Station.

Click on the following links for other posts from the ‘Foxed In The Head’ Series…

#1. Itabashi     #2. Toshima   #3. Kita   #4. Katsushika   #5. Shinagawa   #6. Kōtō   #7. Shibuya     #8. Nerima     #9. Meguro     #10. Bunkyo     #11. Sumida     #12. Nakano     #13. Edogawa     #14. Taito     #15. Chiyoda     #16. Suginami     #17. Chūō

Click here to read `TF Top 10……Smallest Inari Shrines In Tokyo (Part 1)

Click here to read ‘TF Top 10……Tokyo Themed Cycling Rides’