🦊 A fox and children who look after the same city.

Before leaving Tsuruga Castle grounds, I passed a small shrine at the top of the stairs. There was a stone fox statue wearing a red scarf and a small straw hat. The afternoon sunlight shone through it, and the red stood out against the shadows of the trees, giving it a strangely warm feel.

At the time, I didn't know what it was. I just felt it had some kind of positive energy. Later, I discovered it was a "kitsune" — the guardian deity of Inari, believed by the Japanese to protect crops, fertility, and ward off evil.

The red cloth I saw was not just an ornament, but also a prayer for the villagers.

I looked at the statues and thought of the children in the castle grounds. They were like little kitsune — guarding the stories of their hometowns with faith and innocence, demanding no recompense.

I looked up at the castle tower again, saw the red tiles reflecting the sunlight, and said quietly to myself,

— "I love this town."

#TohokuAutumnRoadTrip #AizuWakamatsu #TsurugaCastle #KitsuneShrine #AizuKidsGuide #tripmoments #MrChoonMoments

Post by Mr. Choon | Nov 2, 2025

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