Inari faith - Inari Shinko

Belief in the Inari god and Inari shrines. Inari shrines that worship the Inari god are found all over the country, and according to the "Inari Shrine Brief," the number is said to be over 30,750. If you add the Inari shrines enshrined in private homes, a considerable number of Inari gods are enshrined, which shows how widespread and deep the faith in Inari is. The reasons why Inari faith has spread so far include (1) the fact that Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, which was linked to Kyoogokokuji Temple (Toji Temple) in the early Heian period and built up its influence as the guardian deity, formed faith organizations in various places, (2) the fact that it was spread by private missionaries such as "Inari Nenji" and "Odaisan," and (3) the fact that it spread by taking advantage of the private "Ta no Kami Festival." However, it developed dramatically especially from the middle of the Edo period, when "Inari Kanjo," in which the spirit of the head shrine, Fushimi Inari Taisha, was invited to various places, became more and more popular. The Inari god is called Uka no Mitama no Kami. "Uka" is synonymous with "uke" and "ke" and means food, but as Ukanomitama is described as the rice spirit in the "Oto no Hogai no Norito" and as "Ukanomitama" in the "Kojiki," "Ukanomitama," "Ukanomitama" means rice, so "Uka" primarily refers to rice. In other words, this god was created when the spirit of rice was elevated to a religious level. As a lost piece of writing in the "Yamashiro no Kuni Fudoki" states, "Inenariohiki" became the name of "Inari Shrine," "Inari" can also be written as "Inari," "Inari," or "Meinari," but "Inari" is generally used, and many of the god's statues are depicted as farmers carrying rice . This is based on the idea that the appearance of farmers engaged in rice farming is the same as the Inari god, and it is here that the principle of salvation in Inari faith can be found, as well as the source of Japan's traditional labor divinity. Inari was originally the god of rice, sericulture, and food, but as commerce and industry flourished from the Middle Ages through to the early modern period, it spread to include town houses and became the god of production and commerce as well. Buddhists also worshiped him, syncretizing him with Dakini-ten, and a folk belief arose that foxes were the messengers of Inari, and although this belief is a sub-sect, it remains deeply rooted.

[Ken Mitsuhashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

稲荷神および稲荷神社に対しての信仰。稲荷神を奉祀(ほうし)する稲荷神社は、全国津々浦々に及んでおり、『稲荷神社略記』によると、その数は3万0750余社に上るといわれている。これに個人の邸内に祀(まつ)られている稲荷社まで加えると相当数の稲荷神が奉祀されていることになり、稲荷信仰の広くて厚いことがわかる。稲荷信仰がこれほどまでに普及した事由として、(1)平安時代の初期に教王護国寺（東寺）と結び、その鎮守神として勢力を築き上げた京都の伏見(ふしみ)稲荷大社が、各地に信仰組織を形成していったこと、(2)「稲荷念持(ねんじ)」や「おだいさん」のような民間布教者が広めたこと、(3)民間の「田の神祭り」に乗じて広まっていったこと、などを掲げることができるが、とくに江戸時代の中ごろから飛躍的に発展をしたのは、総本社である伏見稲荷大社の分霊を各地に勧請(かんじょう)するという「稲荷勧請」が一段と盛行したからである。稲荷神は宇迦之御魂神(うかのみたまのかみ)といわれる。「うか」は「うけ」「け」と同意で食物を表すが、『大殿祭祝詞(おおとのほがいののりと)』に宇賀能美多麻(うかのみたま)を稲霊(いねのみたま)と注し、『神代紀』に「倉稲魂(うかのみたま)」とあるように、「うか」は主として稲をさしている。要するに、この神は稲の精霊が宗教的に高められて成立したものであろう。『山城国風土記(やましろのくにふどき)』逸文に、「伊禰奈利生(いねなりお)ひき」が「伊奈利社」の名となったとあるように、「いなり」は「稲生」「稲成」「飯成」とも書かれるが、一般に「稲荷」を用いており、その神像の多くも稲を荷（にな）った農民の姿で表現されている。これは稲作に従事する農民の姿が、そのまま稲荷神の姿であるという生業即実相の思想によるもので、そこに稲荷信仰の救済の原理もあり、ひいては日本の伝統的な労働神聖の源泉をみいだすことができる。稲荷神の始原は稲、養蚕、食物の神であるが、中世から近世にかけて商工業が盛んになると、町屋へと拡大され、生産や商業の神ともなった。さらに仏家でも荼枳尼天(だきにてん)と習合して祀り、また、稲荷神の使いをキツネとする民間信仰が生じ、その信仰は亜流とはいえ、根強いものがある。

［三橋　健］

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