Onabake Jinja (女化神社)

Onabake Jinja (女化神社)

Stone marker engraved 女化稲荷神社

Onabake Jinja (女化神社) is an Inari shrine, enshrining the deity of Ukemochinokami (保食神), in the Nareumamachi District of Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Prefecture.  The shrine stands on an enclave of Ryugasaki surrounded by the Onabakecho (女化町) District of Ushiku.  According to the shrine legend, the shrine was founded in 1505.  In the past, the shrine was called Inari Daimyojin (稲荷大明神) and Onabake Inari (女化稲荷).  The shrine is also commonly called Onabake Inari Jinja (女化稲荷神社) as engraved in a stone marker standing along the sando.

女 means female and one of the meaning of 化 is transform.

There is a local legend of a fox's return of favor.  Once upon a time, there was a man named Chugoro living in Nemoto (currently, the city of Inashiki).  When he was returning from work, he found a hunter trying to hunt down a sleeping fox.  He coughed.  The fox woke up and was able to run away.  Later, the fox turned into a woman and became Chugoro's wife.  They had three children and the family became very prosperous.  One day she accidently showed her tail while falling asleep which her children saw.  Feeling very ashamed that her family found out she was a fox, she left a waka and disappeared into the fields of Onabakegahara never to return again.