Kitsune: The Enigmatic Fox of Japanese Folklore

Almost every culture in the world sees the fox as a cunning trickster, but in Japan, it means a lot more. Kitsune is a shapeshifting spirit that appears in folklore more times than any other mythological creature. Find out what makes the Japanese fox (kitsune) so intriguing and why pop culture media can’t get enough of the creature.

Introduction: Fox Spirit in Japanese Mythology

Certain animals have played big roles in Japanese mythology for centuries. Each animal is considered a spirit, with its own set of traits, personality, and supernatural powers. Carps, crows, lions, foxes, and cranes all have their sacred places in Japanese religion and mythology.

However, one of the most popular of these creatures is the fox, or kitsune, as it’s known in Japan. The kitsune is a major character in folklore and is often depicted in traditional stories, art works, literature, and shrine artifacts. The stories we’ve heard about kitsune tell us that it’s a shapeshifting trickster. Whether it’s good or evil is up to interpretation. As a symbol, it represents longevity and intelligence.

Global pop culture media like movies, manga, and anime, have helped spread the lore of kitsune across borders. Today, people all over the world consider it Japan’s most intriguing mythical being. 

What is Kitsune? Understanding the Japanese Fox

Kitsune is both the Japanese word for fox and a term referring to a mythical fox with supernatural abilities.  It’s a kind of yokai (supernatural being). As an ordinary fox, kitsune looks like the regular animal we see in the forest or on television. However, the mythical version of the creature is much different. It resembles a fox with slightly human features. Its muzzle, ears, paws, and fangs are all fox-like.

The kitsune typically possesses more than one furry tail. The more tails a fox has, the longer it has lived. The maximum number of tails a kitsune can have is nine. Hence, a nine-tailed fox has reached its peak in terms of cunning and intelligence, having lived for so many years.

The kitsune is far from being a friendly fox spirit. He’s often depicted in folklore doing its best to outsmart humans. Hence, the kitsune is a trickster, and a good one too. Its tricks range from mischievous pranks to malevolent acts.

According to Japanese mythology, the kitsune possess a wide variety of supernatural abilities, including transforming into human form (shapeshifting), flight, incredible strength, long life, and pyrokinesis. Shinto religious beliefs say that the kitsune is a messenger of Inari, the Shinto god of rice. 

The Dual Nature of Kitsune: Guardian and Trickster

The mythical kitsune is one of the creatures most associated with the duality of nature in Japanese folklore. Common depictions refer to its deceitful nature. It tricks humans for selfish reasons, bringing misfortune, pain, or even death to victims. On the other hand, the kitsune can also be a protective deity and trusted messenger of Inari. And no, that is not part of an elaborate ruse. The creature genuinely has a dual nature.

Although there are about 13 different types of kitsune, based on the elements, we can classify the beast as either good or evil. The good kitsune is called zenko and the evil one is nogitsune. Both are two sides of the same dual-natured coin. They represent emotional complexity in humans and our natural capacity to be both good and bad.

Kitsune in Shinto Religion: Sacred Messengers

One major reason for the kitsune’s massive popularity is its association with Shinto religious beliefs. Nearly half of the country practices that religion. In the eyes of a Shinto believer, kitsune are messengers and servants of Inari, the Shinto deity of rice, fertility, and prosperity.

According to Japanese mythology, Inari is responsible for protecting rice cultivation. Hence, it’s common for merchants and traders to worship the fox in hopes of more wealth and prosperity. In the past, the kitsune was nothing but a mere messenger and servant for the Inari, using its supernatural abilities to run errands for its master. Recent depictions of Inari involve it appearing as a white fox. Somehow, the creature has become a symbol used interchangeably with the deity. It plays a significant role in the religion as the protector of the Inari shrine and the beast that wards off evil spirits.

The Nine-Tailed Kitsune: Power and Transformation

Earlier, we mentioned the immense wisdom of the nine-tailed kitsune. The entire concept is important to understanding the creature. Needless to say, nine-tailed foxes are very rare. Kitsune are born with a single tail, but as the years roll by, they gradually grow more tails. The common belief is that each tail represents a century (100 years) of existence. So, a nine-tail fox must have lived for at least 900 years. Naturally, any sentient creature that has lived for that long must be remarkably wise.

The nine-tailed kitsune is a symbol of extreme intelligence and magical powers. A fox that has lived for 100 years becomes a kitsune and gains a second tail. It also gains the ability to shapeshift. Each new tail it develops over the years will bring at least one new supernatural ability.

Kitsune and Their Human Interactions

The most popular stories about kitsune have to do with their bizarre human interactions. The fox likes to use its shapeshifting abilities to deceive humans and get them into unpleasant situations. Human interactions with kitsune range from romantic entanglements to vengeful confrontations. A common theme in stories and legends involves a human male falling in love with a kitsune disguised as a beautiful woman. They often end up married with children, and things go smoothly until the kitsune slips up and reveals her true form. 

Most of the time, the foxes have no reason for their tricks. They simply deceive because they can. However, legends say you can tell if someone is a kitsune by observing their shadow or reflection, which reveals their true nature. In some cases, the less powerful kitsune can’t shapeshift out of their fox tails, fangs, or ears. So, they find ways to hide them while in human form.

Iconic Kitsune Folktales

If you find the lore of kitsune fascinating, you’ll love our list of famous tales about the trickster in Japanese literature and storytelling. Check it out below:

• The Death Stone (Tamamo-no-Mae): Emperor Konoe fell in love with a beautiful and wise courtesan. When the Emperor fell ill, it was revealed that the woman was in fact a powerful nine-tailed fox and the cause of his illness. She ran away, but the Emperor sent two warriors after her. One of them eventually kills the kitsune. It turned into a stone that kills anyone who touches it.

• Nihon Ryōiki’s The Fox Wife: A young farmer saw a beautiful woman in the field and instantly fell in love. They got married and she bore him a child. The man’s dog also gave birth to a puppy. Because dogs hate kitsunes, the puppy was always aggressive towards the women. One day, it attacks her, forcing her to reveal her true form. She eventually leaves the heartbroken farmer for good.

• Inari Answers a Woman's Prayer: A barren woman prayed at the Inari shrine, asking the deity for a child. On her way home, she helps a beggar in need. Eventually, it was revealed that the beggar was the fox god Inari. The woman was blessed with a child.

Kitsune in Japanese Art and Media

Many people learned what they knew about kitsune through art and media. In traditional Japanese art such as paintings, sculptures, and woodblock prints, the creature’s greatest value is in its symbolism, which is used in temples and shrines. Noh and Kabuki theater have several plays based on kitsune folklore. Actors in these plays often wear traditional Japanese kitsune masks to portray their characters.

In anime and manga, kitsune are powerful magical spirits with a focus on their shapeshifting abilities. Movies and TV shows also follow the same themes. Hollywood TV series like Teen Wolf (2011–2017) are responsible for popularizing kitsune in Western countries.

Spiritual and Ritualistic Practices Involving Kitsune

There are various rituals and practices centered around appeasing or honoring fox spirits, especially in Shinto settings. Many Inari shrines hold an annual event known as the Fox Wedding Festival or Kitsune-bi Matsuri. People of all ages paint their faces with whiskers that mimic those of foxes. Held on the fourth Saturday of September, the festival involves a large procession through the areas surrounding the shrines.

Different shrines have their own versions of the Kitsune-bi Matsuri. However, if you want to experience more unique practices, head to Kashiwazaki City for the annual Kitsune no Yomatsuri. Originating in 1989, the festival features a 2.7-kilometer candle-lit march known as The Lantern Procession of the Foxes (Kitsune no Chochin Gyoretsu).

Kitsunebi: The Mysterious Fox Fire

The phenomenon of kitsunebi (fox fire) has been a topic of debate for many years. According to legend, kitsunebi creates ethereal lights associated with kitsune moving through the countryside. Whether you believe it's real or not, we cannot deny its impact on Japanese culture. The lights symbolize an ongoing fox wedding or demon parade.

The traveling kitsune foxes breathe out bright fireballs to light their way as they journey through the night. Humans can only see the lights appear on the ground at night, not the foxes making them. According to legend, following this light is a bad idea because some foxes use it to trick humans into their traps.

Symbolism of Kitsune in Modern Japan

Kitsune symbolism is still very relevant in contemporary Japanese culture. However, the modern generation has found ways to incorporate the symbolism of the fox in fashion, pop culture art, and video games. The following are some of the most recent kitsune pop culture references:

• Television: Kira Yukimura in Teen Wolf is a kitsune.

• Literature: Siblings Shinichi and Misao are kitsune in The Vampire Diaries.

• Anime and Manga: Misoka Asagi is a demon fox in Crescent Moon.

• Video game: Pokemon characters Vulpix, Delphox, Ninetales, Zoroark, Braxien, Fennekin, and Zorua are all based on the kitsune.

• Music: Babymetal Band references kitsune through lyrics, masks, and hand signs.

• Food: Bokku’s snack-loving mascot, FOKKSU, released in February 2024, is a fox with excellent taste in sweets and treats.

How to Identify a Kitsune: Mythical Characteristics

The physical and mythical characteristics of the kitsune differentiate it from the other types of yokai in Japanese mythology. The easiest way to tell you’re looking at a kitsune and not a regular wild fox is by the presence of multiple tails. If you happen to see a fox turn into a human or any other creature, it’s definitely a kitsune. These beasts possess many other supernatural traits, including the following: mind control, illusion, super speed, super strength, flight, immortality, and spirit possession. 

Visiting Kitsune Shrines in Japan

Kitsune shrines are sometimes called fox shrines or Inari shrines. They’re religious sites dedicated to the Shinto deity and his trusted messenger. The head of all Inari shrines is Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. The shrine is famous for its tunnel of 1,000 torii gates, massive fox statues, and local kitsune udon noodles. Feel free to combine your visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine with other destinations in Kyoto. Read our post on things to do in Kyoto for more details.

Tokyo is another popular area with historic Inari shrines. The most notable are Namiyoke Inari Shrine, Yakyu Inari Shrine, and Anamori Inari Shrine. If you would like to avoid crowds, Taikodani Inari Shrine in Tsuwano, Shimane, is an ideal destination.

Conclusion:

The allure of kitsune in Japanese culture continues to evolve with time. The only constant since ancient Japan is the fox's supernatural significance, popularity, and symbolic importance. It’s easy to see that the mythical fox will continue to have a lasting impact on folklore, religion, and modern expressions of cultural identity. When it comes to lasting impacts, you don’t have to shapeshift to touch the lives of the people around you. All you need is one thoughtful gift. Explore Bokksu Boutique to get the best gift ideas from Japan in 2024.