Pair of antique Japanese Inari foxes hand carved out of granite. Each has traces of the original mineral pigment. Also called zenko, these good spirit kitsune (foxes) are specifically associated with the goddess, Inari.
Believed to be both messengers and guardians, kitsune served Inari in her role as goddess of agriculture, specifically rice. Part of the folklore surrounding the fox is it’s ability to shape shift into human form. It is believed that Inari Okami herself sometimes took the form of a kitsune.

Age: Late Edo Period (mid 19th century)

Dimensions: 24" high x 6 1/2" wide x 13 1/2" deep