Chiyoho Inari Shrine

#thingstodo Charming country shrine in Kaizu with colorful and varied marketplace alongside it. Chiyobo Inari, called “Ochobosan” by locals, is a shrine devoted to the fox god Inari, deity of good harvests and perhaps bounty/business in general. You can make offerings of fried tofu tied with straw at the main shrine (this is said to be the god’s favorite food), or there is a case to light votive candles. There are also fortunes in Japanese. The expansive, often bustling marketplace has lots of restaurants, foodstuffs, talismans, souvenirs, and clothing items for sale. I recommend buying tsukemono— traditional pickles— with as few additives as possible (the turmeric-dyed yellow pickled whole daikon radishes are awesome), dried shiitake mushrooms, and fugashi (old-fashioned wheat gluten candy). Like many tourist spots in these parts, there is a Mamekichi shop with bean and nut-based snacks, which are reliably stylish, colorful, and delicious. This is easiest to access by car, but you will likely have to pay to park close. Cycling from Ogaki is also possible, but it’s a long way.