Tanuki Shrine, Kyoto

Tanuki Shrine is a shrine on Pontocho Alley in Kyoto, Japan. It is dedicated to the lowly tanuki, or Japanese raccoon.

Little, adorable figurines of the tanuki are a common feature at the entrance of many eateries and temples in Japan. These figures often wear a big conical hat and carry a bottle of sake.

In 1978, a fire broke out at the Pontocho Alley claiming the life of a geisha. Where the fire stopped, a ceramic tanuki was found, shattered by the heat. The locals believed that the little creature had sacrificed himself on their behalf. In gratitude, they erected the Tanuki Shrine to house his remains.

Visitors to the shrine throw coins into it, and a recorded message utter warnings a response, to beware of fire.

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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