Toyokawa Inari
豊川稲荷
A Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1441, renowned for its syncretic guardian deity blending Buddhist and Shinto traditions as a symbol of fertility and commercial success.
Toyokawa Inari, also known as Myōgon-ji, is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple located in the city of Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture. The temple was founded in 1441 by Tōkai Gieki, a sixth-generation disciple of Dōgen, the founder of the Japanese Sōtō school. Although its main image is that of the thousand-armed form of Senju Kannon, it is better known for its guardian deity Toyokawa Dakini Shinten, a syncretic goddess with characteristics of Inari, the Shinto kami of fertility, agriculture, industry, and success. Although there is a torii gate at the entrance, the temple is a Buddhist institution and has no association with the Shinto religion.
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