Inari-sage - Inari-sage

...The religious figures who spread the Inari faith were not only the head priests of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, who are connected to the Inari deity, but also shamans, ascetics, and prayer masters from among the general public. In particular, religious figures from among the general public worship Inari deity as a guardian deity, and often perform oracles known as Inari-age and Inari-oshi. They also play an active role in exorcising spirits, and there are cases where they judge that foxes are the cause of illness or misfortune, and instruct people to worship Inari to recover from such illness....

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Inari-sage" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…稲荷信仰を伝播させた宗教者としては，神社の社家や稲荷神と結びついている真言宗の僧はもちろん，民間の巫者･行者･祈禱師などが重要な存在である。とくに民間の宗教者は稲荷神を守護神としてまつり，稲荷下げ，稲荷降しと称される託宣を行うことが多い。また彼らはつきもの(憑物)落しでも活躍し，病気や不幸の原因が狐にあると判断し，それを回復させるために稲荷をまつるように指導する例もある。…

※「稲荷下げ」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報