Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023

Aichi’s Toyokawa Inari

One of Japan’s Three Great Sanctums

These days, just about everyone under the sun knows of Kyoto’s eternally popular Fushimi Inari Taisha. With its endless series of vermilion torii gates, a shot at this location for the Gram is basically a must do when visiting Japan’s former capital. Alas, though all under the sun may now be aware of this shrine, fewer folks know that Fushimi Inari Taisha is actually part of a trifecta of sites that pay homage to the deity, Inari. Seeing as I’ve already covered Saga Prefecture’s contribution to the set in another article, I want to complete the trio of foxy sanctums with today’s post by introducing Toyokawa Inari.

Haven’t heard of Toyokawa Inari before? Don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone. Located down in Aichi Prefecture, most foreign visitors to Japan sadly opt to skip over this stretch of the country en route to Kyoto and Osaka. This is a real shame as Central Japan is jam packed full of history and attractions. Moreover, many of these draws are easily accessible by those with JR Rail Passes who can hop on and off the bullet trains at will. Seeing as you can’t ride the Nozomi super-express anyway, why not make a pit stop for an allure like Toyokawa Inari before continuing on to Kansai?

How to Get There

While we’re on the topic of location, let’s pause for a second and cover how to reach Toyokawa Inari. Assuming you’re starting in Tokyo, you’ll need to hop on one of the Hikari or Kodama bullet trains that run on the Tokaido Line. Your first destination will be Toyohashi Station. Located just to the east of Nagoya, Toyohashi has long served as an important crossroad between eastern and western Japan and was therefore historically often contested. These days, Toyohashi serves as a jumping off point for those looking to head south to the coastal Atsumi Peninsula or otherwise, explore the area to the east of Nagoya.

Once you arrive at Toyohashi Station, you’ll need to make a transfer to a local train line. From there, you’ll need to make a short journey from Toyohashi Station…