Kitsune - Revision history

TeraS at 16:20, 23 October 2014

2014-10-23T16:20:14Z

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	[[Category:~~Definitions~~]]		[[Category:Deities, Spirits, and Mythic Beings‏‎]]


	[[Image:Prince Hanzoku terrorised by a nine- tailed fox.jpg\|right\|thumb\|Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19th century.]]		[[Image:Prince Hanzoku terrorised by a nine- tailed fox.jpg\|right\|thumb\|Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19th century.]]

	'''Kitsune''' is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others — as foxes in folklore often do — others portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.		'''Kitsune''' is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others — as foxes in folklore often do — others portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.


	Foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto ''kami'' or spirit, and serve as his messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has — they may have as many as nine — the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a deity.		Foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto ''kami'' or spirit, and serve as his messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has — they may have as many as nine — the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a deity.


	==Origins==		==Origins==
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	[[Image:Vulpes vulpes laying in snow.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Japan is home to two red fox subspecies: the Hokkaido fox (''Vulpes vulpes schrencki'', pictured), and the Japanese red fox (''Vulpes vulpes japonica'').]]		[[Image:Vulpes vulpes laying in snow.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Japan is home to two red fox subspecies: the Hokkaido fox (''Vulpes vulpes schrencki'', pictured), and the Japanese red fox (''Vulpes vulpes japonica'').]]

	===Etymology===		===Etymology===

	The full etymology is unknown. The oldest known usage of the word is in the 794 text {{nihongo\|''Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki''\|新訳華厳経音義私記\|}}. Other old sources include Nihon Ryōiki (810–824) and Wamyō Ruijushō (c. 934). These oldest sources are written in Man'yōgana which clearly identifies the historical spelling as ''ki<sub>1</sub>tune''. Following several diachronic phonological changes, this becomes ''kitsune''.		The full etymology is unknown. The oldest known usage of the word is in the 794 text {{nihongo\|''Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki''\|新訳華厳経音義私記\|}}. Other old sources include Nihon Ryōiki (810–824) and Wamyō Ruijushō (c. 934). These oldest sources are written in Man'yōgana which clearly identifies the historical spelling as ''ki<sub>1</sub>tune''. Following several diachronic phonological changes, this becomes ''kitsune''.

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	Because the fox returns to her husband each night as a woman but leaves each morning as a fox, she is called Kitsune. In classical Japanese, ''kitsu-ne'' means ''come and sleep'', and ''ki-tsune'' means ''always comes''.<ref name="Smyers72"/>		Because the fox returns to her husband each night as a woman but leaves each morning as a fox, she is called Kitsune. In classical Japanese, ''kitsu-ne'' means ''come and sleep'', and ''ki-tsune'' means ''always comes''.<ref name="Smyers72"/>


	==Characteristics==		==Characteristics==
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	===''Hoshi no tama''===		===''Hoshi no tama''===
	[[Image:Hiroshige-100-views-of-edo-fox-fires.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|Kitsune glowing with fox-fire gather near Edo. Print by Hiroshige.]]		[[Image:Hiroshige-100-views-of-edo-fox-fires.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|Kitsune glowing with fox-fire gather near Edo. Print by Hiroshige.]]

	Depictions of kitsune or their possessed victims may feature round or onion-shaped white balls known as ''hoshi no tama'' (''star balls''). Tales describe these as glowing with ''kitsune-bi'', or fox-fire.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 183</ref> Some stories identify them as magical jewels or pearls.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 169–170</ref> When not in human form or possessing a human, a kitsune keeps the ball in its mouth or carries it on its tail.<ref name="Hamel91"/> Jewels are a common symbol of Inari, and representations of sacred Inari foxes without them are rare.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 112–114</ref>		Depictions of kitsune or their possessed victims may feature round or onion-shaped white balls known as ''hoshi no tama'' (''star balls''). Tales describe these as glowing with ''kitsune-bi'', or fox-fire.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 183</ref> Some stories identify them as magical jewels or pearls.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 169–170</ref> When not in human form or possessing a human, a kitsune keeps the ball in its mouth or carries it on its tail.<ref name="Hamel91"/> Jewels are a common symbol of Inari, and representations of sacred Inari foxes without them are rare.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 112–114</ref>

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	The fox later saves his life by leading him past a band of armed bandits.<ref>Tyler 299–300.</ref>		The fox later saves his life by leading him past a band of armed bandits.<ref>Tyler 299–300.</ref>


	==Portrayal==		==Portrayal==
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	===Tricksters===		===Tricksters===
	[[Image:Fushimi Inari mini torii.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|The Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, Japan features numerous kitsune statues.]]		[[Image:Fushimi Inari mini torii.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|The Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, Japan features numerous kitsune statues.]]

	Kitsune are often presented as tricksters, with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence. Stories tell of kitsune playing tricks on overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful commoners, while the crueler ones abuse poor tradesmen and farmers or devout Buddhist monks. Their victims are usually men; women are possessed instead.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> For example, kitsune are thought to employ their ''kitsune-bi'' or fox-fire to lead travelers astray in the manner of a will o' the wisp.<ref>Addiss, Stephen. ''Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural''. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. 137</ref><ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 142</ref> Another tactic is for the kitsune to confuse its target with illusions or visions.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> Other common goals of trickster kitsune include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of the prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight.		Kitsune are often presented as tricksters, with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence. Stories tell of kitsune playing tricks on overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful commoners, while the crueler ones abuse poor tradesmen and farmers or devout Buddhist monks. Their victims are usually men; women are possessed instead.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> For example, kitsune are thought to employ their ''kitsune-bi'' or fox-fire to lead travelers astray in the manner of a will o' the wisp.<ref>Addiss, Stephen. ''Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural''. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. 137</ref><ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 142</ref> Another tactic is for the kitsune to confuse its target with illusions or visions.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> Other common goals of trickster kitsune include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of the prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight.

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	[[Image:Kuniyoshi Kuzunoha.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|The kitsune Kuzunoha casts a fox's shadow even in human form. Kuzunoha is a popular figure in folklore and the subject of kabuki plays. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.]]		[[Image:Kuniyoshi Kuzunoha.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|The kitsune Kuzunoha casts a fox's shadow even in human form. Kuzunoha is a popular figure in folklore and the subject of kabuki plays. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.]]

	===Wives and ~~lovers~~===		===Wives and Lovers===
	Kitsune are commonly portrayed as lovers, usually in stories involving a young human male and a kitsune who takes the form of a human woman.<ref>Hamel. ''Human Animals''. 90</ref> The kitsune may be a seductress, but these stories are more often romantic in nature.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 157</ref> Typically, the young man unknowingly marries the fox, who proves a devoted wife. The man eventually discovers the fox's true nature, and the fox-wife is forced to leave him. In some cases, the husband wakes as if from a dream, filthy, disoriented, and far from home. He must then return to confront his abandoned family in shame.		Kitsune are commonly portrayed as lovers, usually in stories involving a young human male and a kitsune who takes the form of a human woman.<ref>Hamel. ''Human Animals''. 90</ref> The kitsune may be a seductress, but these stories are more often romantic in nature.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 157</ref> Typically, the young man unknowingly marries the fox, who proves a devoted wife. The man eventually discovers the fox's true nature, and the fox-wife is forced to leave him. In some cases, the husband wakes as if from a dream, filthy, disoriented, and far from home. He must then return to confront his abandoned family in shame.

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	Stephen Turnbull, in "Nagashino 1575", relates the tale of the Takeda clan's involvement with a fox-woman. The warlord Takeda Shingen, in 1544, defeated in battle a lesser local warlord named Suwa Yorishige and drove him to suicide after a "humiliating and spurious" peace conference, after which Shingen forced marriage on his beautiful 14-year-old daughter Lady Koi--Shingen's own niece. Shingen, Turnbull writes, "was so obsessed with the girl that his superstitious followers became alarmed and believed her to be an incarnation of the white fox-spirit of the Suwa Shrine, who had bewitched him in order to gain revenge." When their son Takeda Katsuyori proved to be a disastrous leader and led the clan to their devastating defeat at the battle of Nagashino, Turnbull writes, "wise old heads nodded, remembering the unhappy circumstances of his birth and his magical mother".		Stephen Turnbull, in "Nagashino 1575", relates the tale of the Takeda clan's involvement with a fox-woman. The warlord Takeda Shingen, in 1544, defeated in battle a lesser local warlord named Suwa Yorishige and drove him to suicide after a "humiliating and spurious" peace conference, after which Shingen forced marriage on his beautiful 14-year-old daughter Lady Koi--Shingen's own niece. Shingen, Turnbull writes, "was so obsessed with the girl that his superstitious followers became alarmed and believed her to be an incarnation of the white fox-spirit of the Suwa Shrine, who had bewitched him in order to gain revenge." When their son Takeda Katsuyori proved to be a disastrous leader and led the clan to their devastating defeat at the battle of Nagashino, Turnbull writes, "wise old heads nodded, remembering the unhappy circumstances of his birth and his magical mother".

	===In ~~fiction~~===		===In Fiction===

	Embedded in Japanese folklore as they are, kitsune appear in numerous Japanese works. Noh, kyogen, bunraku, and kabuki plays derived from folk tales feature them,<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 162–163</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 109–124</ref> as do contemporary works such as anime, manga and video games. Western authors of fiction have begun to make use of the kitsune legends. Although these portrayals vary considerably, kitsune are generally depicted in accordance with folk stories, as wise, cunning, and powerful beings.		Embedded in Japanese folklore as they are, kitsune appear in numerous Japanese works. Noh, kyogen, bunraku, and kabuki plays derived from folk tales feature them,<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 162–163</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 109–124</ref> as do contemporary works such as anime, manga and video games. Western authors of fiction have begun to make use of the kitsune legends. Although these portrayals vary considerably, kitsune are generally depicted in accordance with folk stories, as wise, cunning, and powerful beings.

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	Genkurō is a kitsune renowned for his filial piety. In the bunraku and kabuki drama ''Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura'' (''Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees''), Yoshitsune's lover, Lady Shizuka, owns a hand-drum made from the skins of Genkuro's parents. The fox takes human form and becomes his retainer, Satō Tadanobu, but his identity is revealed. The kitsune explains that he hears the voice of his parents when the drum is struck. Yoshitsune and Shizuka give him the drum, so Genkuro grants Yoshitsune magical protection.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 114–116</ref><ref>Ashkenazy. ''Handbook''. 150</ref>		Genkurō is a kitsune renowned for his filial piety. In the bunraku and kabuki drama ''Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura'' (''Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees''), Yoshitsune's lover, Lady Shizuka, owns a hand-drum made from the skins of Genkuro's parents. The fox takes human form and becomes his retainer, Satō Tadanobu, but his identity is revealed. The kitsune explains that he hears the voice of his parents when the drum is struck. Yoshitsune and Shizuka give him the drum, so Genkuro grants Yoshitsune magical protection.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 114–116</ref><ref>Ashkenazy. ''Handbook''. 150</ref>


	==References==		==References==
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	===Other ~~sources~~===		===Other Sources===
	* Addiss, Stephen. ''Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural''. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. (pp. 132–137) ISBN 0-8076-1126-3		* Addiss, Stephen. ''Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural''. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. (pp. 132–137) ISBN 0-8076-1126-3
	* Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. ISBN 1-57607-467-6		* Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. ISBN 1-57607-467-6
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	* Tyler, Royall (ed. and trans.) ''Japanese Tales''. New York: Pantheon Books, 1987. ISBN 0-394-75656-8		* Tyler, Royall (ed. and trans.) ''Japanese Tales''. New York: Pantheon Books, 1987. ISBN 0-394-75656-8

	==External ~~links~~==
			==External Links==
	*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune The original source of this article at Wikipedia]		*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune The original source of this article at Wikipedia]
	*[http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/kitsune.html The Kitsune Page]		*[http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/kitsune.html The Kitsune Page]

TeraS at 18:50, 9 January 2011

2011-01-09T18:50:42Z

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	[[Category:Definitions]]		[[Category:Definitions]]

	~~''This article is taken from the Wikipedia entry [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune here].''~~


	[[Image:Prince Hanzoku terrorised by a nine- tailed fox.jpg\|right\|thumb\|Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19th century.]]		[[Image:Prince Hanzoku terrorised by a nine- tailed fox.jpg\|right\|thumb\|Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19th century.]]

	Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others — as foxes in folklore often do — others portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.		'''Kitsune''' is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others — as foxes in folklore often do — others portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.


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	==External links==		==External links==
			*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune The original source of this article at Wikipedia]
	*[http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/kitsune.html The Kitsune Page]		*[http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/kitsune.html The Kitsune Page]
	*[http://www.comnet.ca/~foxtrot/kitsune/ Foxtrot's Guide to Kitsune Lore]		*[http://www.comnet.ca/~foxtrot/kitsune/ Foxtrot's Guide to Kitsune Lore]

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Origins

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	==Origins==		==Origins==
	[[Image:NineTailsFox.JPG\|right\|thumb\|upright\|A nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the Shan Hai Jing. Fox spirits of Chinese folklore are similar to kitsune.]]		[[Image:NineTailsFox.JPG\|right\|thumb\|upright\|A nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the Shan Hai Jing. Fox spirits of Chinese folklore are similar to kitsune.]]
	There is debate whether the kitsune myths originated entirely from foreign sources or are in part an indigenous Japanese concept dating as far back as the fifth century BC. It is widely agreed that at least some fox myths in Japan can be traced to China, Korea, or Folklore of India. Many of the earliest surviving stories are recorded in the ''Konjaku Monogatari'', an 11th-century collection of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese narratives.<ref>Goff, Janet. "Foxes in Japanese culture: beautiful or beastly?" ''Japan Quarterly'' 44:2 (April-June 1997).</ref> Chinese folk tales tell of kitsune-like ''[[~~huli jing~~]]'' that may have up to nine tails.		There is debate whether the kitsune myths originated entirely from foreign sources or are in part an indigenous Japanese concept dating as far back as the fifth century BC. It is widely agreed that at least some fox myths in Japan can be traced to China, Korea, or Folklore of India. Many of the earliest surviving stories are recorded in the ''Konjaku Monogatari'', an 11th-century collection of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese narratives.<ref>Goff, Janet. "Foxes in Japanese culture: beautiful or beastly?" ''Japan Quarterly'' 44:2 (April-June 1997).</ref> Chinese folk tales tell of kitsune-like ''[[Huli Jing]]'' that may have up to nine tails.

	In contrast, Japanese folklorist Kiyoshi Nozaki argues that the Japanese regarded kitsune positively as early as the 4th century A.D.; the only things imported from China or Korea were the kitsune's negative attributes.<ref name="Nozaki5">Nozaki, Kiyoshi. ''Kitsune — Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance, and Humor''. Tokyo: The Hokuseidô Press, 1961. 5</ref> He states that, according to a 16th-century book of records called the ''Nihon Ryakki'', foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan, and he contends that indigenous legends about the creatures arose as a result.<ref name="Nozaki3">Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 3</ref> Inari scholar Karen Smyers notes that the idea of the fox as seductress and the connection of the fox myths to Buddhism were introduced into Japanese folklore through similar Chinese stories, but she maintains that some fox stories contain elements unique to Japan.<ref name="Smyers127128">Smyers, Karen Ann. ''The Fox and the Jewel: Shared and Private Meanings in Contemporary Japanese Inari Worship''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. 127–128</ref>		In contrast, Japanese folklorist Kiyoshi Nozaki argues that the Japanese regarded kitsune positively as early as the 4th century A.D.; the only things imported from China or Korea were the kitsune's negative attributes.<ref name="Nozaki5">Nozaki, Kiyoshi. ''Kitsune — Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance, and Humor''. Tokyo: The Hokuseidô Press, 1961. 5</ref> He states that, according to a 16th-century book of records called the ''Nihon Ryakki'', foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan, and he contends that indigenous legends about the creatures arose as a result.<ref name="Nozaki3">Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 3</ref> Inari scholar Karen Smyers notes that the idea of the fox as seductress and the connection of the fox myths to Buddhism were introduced into Japanese folklore through similar Chinese stories, but she maintains that some fox stories contain elements unique to Japan.<ref name="Smyers127128">Smyers, Karen Ann. ''The Fox and the Jewel: Shared and Private Meanings in Contemporary Japanese Inari Worship''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. 127–128</ref>

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2011-01-09T18:48:45Z

Origins

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	==Origins==		==Origins==
	[[Image:NineTailsFox.JPG\|right\|thumb\|upright\|A nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the Shan Hai Jing. Fox spirits of Chinese folklore are similar to kitsune.]]		[[Image:NineTailsFox.JPG\|right\|thumb\|upright\|A nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the Shan Hai Jing. Fox spirits of Chinese folklore are similar to kitsune.]]
	There is debate whether the kitsune myths originated entirely from foreign sources or are in part an indigenous Japanese concept dating as far back as the fifth century BC. It is widely agreed that at least some fox myths in Japan can be traced to China, Korea, or Folklore of India. Many of the earliest surviving stories are recorded in the ''Konjaku Monogatari'', an 11th-century collection of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese narratives.<ref>Goff, Janet. "Foxes in Japanese culture: beautiful or beastly?" ''Japan Quarterly'' 44:2 (April-June 1997).</ref> Chinese folk tales tell of kitsune-like ''huli jing~~\|fox spirits~~'' that may have up to nine tails.		There is debate whether the kitsune myths originated entirely from foreign sources or are in part an indigenous Japanese concept dating as far back as the fifth century BC. It is widely agreed that at least some fox myths in Japan can be traced to China, Korea, or Folklore of India. Many of the earliest surviving stories are recorded in the ''Konjaku Monogatari'', an 11th-century collection of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese narratives.<ref>Goff, Janet. "Foxes in Japanese culture: beautiful or beastly?" ''Japan Quarterly'' 44:2 (April-June 1997).</ref> Chinese folk tales tell of kitsune-like ''[[huli jing]]'' that may have up to nine tails.

	In contrast, Japanese folklorist Kiyoshi Nozaki argues that the Japanese regarded kitsune positively as early as the 4th century A.D.; the only things imported from China or Korea were the kitsune's negative attributes.<ref name="Nozaki5">Nozaki, Kiyoshi. ''Kitsune — Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance, and Humor''. Tokyo: The Hokuseidô Press, 1961. 5</ref> He states that, according to a 16th-century book of records called the ''Nihon Ryakki'', foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan, and he contends that indigenous legends about the creatures arose as a result.<ref name="Nozaki3">Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 3</ref> Inari scholar Karen Smyers notes that the idea of the fox as seductress and the connection of the fox myths to Buddhism were introduced into Japanese folklore through similar Chinese stories, but she maintains that some fox stories contain elements unique to Japan.<ref name="Smyers127128">Smyers, Karen Ann. ''The Fox and the Jewel: Shared and Private Meanings in Contemporary Japanese Inari Worship''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. 127–128</ref>		In contrast, Japanese folklorist Kiyoshi Nozaki argues that the Japanese regarded kitsune positively as early as the 4th century A.D.; the only things imported from China or Korea were the kitsune's negative attributes.<ref name="Nozaki5">Nozaki, Kiyoshi. ''Kitsune — Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance, and Humor''. Tokyo: The Hokuseidô Press, 1961. 5</ref> He states that, according to a 16th-century book of records called the ''Nihon Ryakki'', foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan, and he contends that indigenous legends about the creatures arose as a result.<ref name="Nozaki3">Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 3</ref> Inari scholar Karen Smyers notes that the idea of the fox as seductress and the connection of the fox myths to Buddhism were introduced into Japanese folklore through similar Chinese stories, but she maintains that some fox stories contain elements unique to Japan.<ref name="Smyers127128">Smyers, Karen Ann. ''The Fox and the Jewel: Shared and Private Meanings in Contemporary Japanese Inari Worship''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. 127–128</ref>

TeraS at 17:08, 12 April 2008

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	Other supernatural abilities commonly attributed to the kitsune include possession, mouths or tails that generate fire or lightning (known as ''kitsune-bi''; literally, ''fox-fire''), willful manifestation in the dreams of others, flight, invisibility, and the creation of illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality.<ref name="Hearn155"/><ref name="Nozaki2526"/> Some tales speak of kitsune with even greater powers, able to bend time and space, drive people mad, or take fantastic shapes such as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 156–157</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 36–37</ref> Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or [[succubus\|succubi]] and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 26, 221</ref>		Other supernatural abilities commonly attributed to the kitsune include possession, mouths or tails that generate fire or lightning (known as ''kitsune-bi''; literally, ''fox-fire''), willful manifestation in the dreams of others, flight, invisibility, and the creation of illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality.<ref name="Hearn155"/><ref name="Nozaki2526"/> Some tales speak of kitsune with even greater powers, able to bend time and space, drive people mad, or take fantastic shapes such as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 156–157</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 36–37</ref> Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or [[succubus\|succubi]] and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 26, 221</ref>

	[[Image:Lame-renard-p1000662.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|Inari and her fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade ''kogitsune-maru'' (Little Fox) at the end of the 10th century. The legend is the subject of the [[noh]] drama ''Sanjō Kokaji''.]]		[[Image:Lame-renard-p1000662.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|Inari and her fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade ''kogitsune-maru'' (Little Fox) at the end of the 10th century. The legend is the subject of the noh drama ''Sanjō Kokaji''.]]
	===''Kitsunetsuki''===		===''Kitsunetsuki''===
	''Kitsunetsuki'' (狐憑き or 狐付き; also written ''kitsune-tsuki'') literally means ''the state of being possessed by a fox''. The victim is typically a young woman, whom the fox enters beneath her fingernails or through her breasts.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 59</ref> In some cases, the victims' facial expressions are said to change in such a way that they resemble those of a fox. Japanese tradition holds that fox possession can cause illiterate victims to temporarily gain the ability to read.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 216</ref>		''Kitsunetsuki'' (狐憑き or 狐付き; also written ''kitsune-tsuki'') literally means ''the state of being possessed by a fox''. The victim is typically a young woman, whom the fox enters beneath her fingernails or through her breasts.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 59</ref> In some cases, the victims' facial expressions are said to change in such a way that they resemble those of a fox. Japanese tradition holds that fox possession can cause illiterate victims to temporarily gain the ability to read.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 216</ref>

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Characteristics

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	There are two common classifications of kitsune. The ''myōbu'' are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with Inari; they are sometimes simply called ''Inari foxes''. On the other hand, the wild {{nihongo\|''nogitsune''\|野狐\|extra=literally, ''field foxes''}} tend to be mischievous or even malicious.<ref name="Hearn154">Hearn, Lafcadio. ''Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan''. [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8130 Project Gutenberg e-text edition], 2005. 154</ref> Local traditions add further types.<ref name="Hearn154"/> For example, a ''ninko'' is an invisible fox spirit that human beings can only perceive when it possesses them. Another tradition classifies kitsune into one of thirteen types defined by which supernatural abilities the kitsune possesses.<ref>Hall, Jamie. ''Half Human, Half Animal: Tales of Werewolves and Related Creatures''. Bloomington, Indiana: Authorhouse, 2003. 139</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 211–212</ref>		There are two common classifications of kitsune. The ''myōbu'' are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with Inari; they are sometimes simply called ''Inari foxes''. On the other hand, the wild {{nihongo\|''nogitsune''\|野狐\|extra=literally, ''field foxes''}} tend to be mischievous or even malicious.<ref name="Hearn154">Hearn, Lafcadio. ''Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan''. [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8130 Project Gutenberg e-text edition], 2005. 154</ref> Local traditions add further types.<ref name="Hearn154"/> For example, a ''ninko'' is an invisible fox spirit that human beings can only perceive when it possesses them. Another tradition classifies kitsune into one of thirteen types defined by which supernatural abilities the kitsune possesses.<ref>Hall, Jamie. ''Half Human, Half Animal: Tales of Werewolves and Related Creatures''. Bloomington, Indiana: Authorhouse, 2003. 139</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 211–212</ref>

	Physically, kitsune are noted for having as many as nine tails.<ref name="Smyers129">Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 129</ref> Generally, a greater number of tails indicates an older and more powerful fox; in fact, some folktales say that a fox will only grow additional tails after it has lived 1,000 years.<ref name="Hamel91"/> One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folk stories. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold.<ref name="Smyers129"/> These ''kyūbi no kitsune'' (''nine-tailed foxes'') gain the abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Other tales attribute them infinite wisdom ([[omniscience]]).<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 159</ref>		Physically, kitsune are noted for having as many as nine tails.<ref name="Smyers129">Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 129</ref> Generally, a greater number of tails indicates an older and more powerful fox; in fact, some folktales say that a fox will only grow additional tails after it has lived 1,000 years.<ref name="Hamel91"/> One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folk stories. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold.<ref name="Smyers129"/> These ''kyūbi no kitsune'' (''nine-tailed foxes'') gain the abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Other tales attribute them infinite wisdom (omniscience).<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 159</ref>

	[[Image:Obake Karuta 3-01.jpg\|left\|thumb\|This ''obake karuta'' (monster card) from the early 19th century depicts a kitsune. The associated game involves matching clues from folklore to pictures of specific creatures.]]		[[Image:Obake Karuta 3-01.jpg\|left\|thumb\|This ''obake karuta'' (monster card) from the early 19th century depicts a kitsune. The associated game involves matching clues from folklore to pictures of specific creatures.]]

	A kitsune may take on human form, an ability learned when it reaches a certain age — usually 100 years, although some tales say 50.<ref name="Hamel91">Hamel. ''Human Animals''. 91</ref> As a common prerequisite for the transformation, the fox must place reeds, a broad leaf, or a skull over its head.<ref name="Nozaki2526">Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 25–26</ref> Common forms assumed by kitsune include beautiful women, young girls, or elderly men. These shapes are not limited by the fox's age or gender,<ref name="Smyers127128"/> and a kitsune can duplicate the appearance of a specific person.<ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 145</ref> Foxes are particularly renowned for impersonating beautiful women. Common belief in ~~[[History of Japan#Feudal Japan\|~~medieval Japan]] was that any woman encountered alone, especially at dusk or night, could be a fox.<ref name="Tyler xlix">Tyler xlix.</ref>		A kitsune may take on human form, an ability learned when it reaches a certain age — usually 100 years, although some tales say 50.<ref name="Hamel91">Hamel. ''Human Animals''. 91</ref> As a common prerequisite for the transformation, the fox must place reeds, a broad leaf, or a skull over its head.<ref name="Nozaki2526">Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 25–26</ref> Common forms assumed by kitsune include beautiful women, young girls, or elderly men. These shapes are not limited by the fox's age or gender,<ref name="Smyers127128"/> and a kitsune can duplicate the appearance of a specific person.<ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 145</ref> Foxes are particularly renowned for impersonating beautiful women. Common belief in medieval Japan was that any woman encountered alone, especially at dusk or night, could be a fox.<ref name="Tyler xlix">Tyler xlix.</ref>

	In some stories, kitsune have difficulty hiding their tails when they take human form; looking for the tail, perhaps when the fox gets drunk or careless, is a common method of discerning the creature's true nature.<ref name="Ashkenazy148">Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. 148</ref> Variants on the theme have the kitsune retain other foxlike traits, such as a coating of fine hair, a fox-shaped shadow, or a reflection that shows its true form.<ref name="Hearn155">Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 155</ref> ''Kitsune-gao'' or ''fox-faced'' refers to human females who have a narrow face with close-set eyes, thin eyebrows, and high cheekbones. Traditionally, this facial structure is considered attractive, and some tales ascribe it to foxes in human form.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 95, 206</ref> Kitsune have a fear and hatred of dogs even while in human form, and some become so rattled by the presence of dogs that they revert to the shape of a fox and flee. A particularly devout individual may be able to see through a fox's disguise automatically.<ref>Heine, Steven. ''Shifting Shape, Shaping Text: Philosophy and Folklore in the Fox Koan''. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1999. 153</ref>		In some stories, kitsune have difficulty hiding their tails when they take human form; looking for the tail, perhaps when the fox gets drunk or careless, is a common method of discerning the creature's true nature.<ref name="Ashkenazy148">Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. 148</ref> Variants on the theme have the kitsune retain other foxlike traits, such as a coating of fine hair, a fox-shaped shadow, or a reflection that shows its true form.<ref name="Hearn155">Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 155</ref> ''Kitsune-gao'' or ''fox-faced'' refers to human females who have a narrow face with close-set eyes, thin eyebrows, and high cheekbones. Traditionally, this facial structure is considered attractive, and some tales ascribe it to foxes in human form.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 95, 206</ref> Kitsune have a fear and hatred of dogs even while in human form, and some become so rattled by the presence of dogs that they revert to the shape of a fox and flee. A particularly devout individual may be able to see through a fox's disguise automatically.<ref>Heine, Steven. ''Shifting Shape, Shaping Text: Philosophy and Folklore in the Fox Koan''. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1999. 153</ref>

	One folk story illustrating these imperfections in the kitsune's human shape concerns [[Koan]], a historical person credited with wisdom and magical powers of divination. According to the story, he was staying at the home of one of his devotees when he scalded his foot entering a bath because the water had been drawn too hot. Then, "in his pain, he ran out of the bathroom naked. When the people of the household saw him, they were astonished to see that Koan had fur covering much of his body, along with a fox's tail. Then Koan transformed in front of them, becoming an elderly fox and running away."<ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 144</ref>		One folk story illustrating these imperfections in the kitsune's human shape concerns Koan, a historical person credited with wisdom and magical powers of divination. According to the story, he was staying at the home of one of his devotees when he scalded his foot entering a bath because the water had been drawn too hot. Then, "in his pain, he ran out of the bathroom naked. When the people of the household saw him, they were astonished to see that Koan had fur covering much of his body, along with a fox's tail. Then Koan transformed in front of them, becoming an elderly fox and running away."<ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 144</ref>

	Other supernatural abilities commonly attributed to the kitsune include possession, mouths or tails that generate fire or lightning (known as ''kitsune-bi''; literally, ''fox-fire''), willful manifestation in the dreams of others, flight, invisibility, and the creation of ~~[[illusion]]s~~ so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality.<ref name="Hearn155"/><ref name="Nozaki2526"/> Some tales speak of kitsune with even greater powers, able to bend time and space, drive people mad, or take fantastic shapes such as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 156–157</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 36–37</ref> Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or [[succubus\|succubi]] and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 26, 221</ref>		Other supernatural abilities commonly attributed to the kitsune include possession, mouths or tails that generate fire or lightning (known as ''kitsune-bi''; literally, ''fox-fire''), willful manifestation in the dreams of others, flight, invisibility, and the creation of illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality.<ref name="Hearn155"/><ref name="Nozaki2526"/> Some tales speak of kitsune with even greater powers, able to bend time and space, drive people mad, or take fantastic shapes such as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 156–157</ref><ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 36–37</ref> Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or [[succubus\|succubi]] and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 26, 221</ref>

	[[Image:Lame-renard-p1000662.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|Inari and her fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade ''kogitsune-maru'' (Little Fox) at the end of the 10th century. The legend is the subject of the [[noh]] drama ''Sanjō Kokaji''.]]		[[Image:Lame-renard-p1000662.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|Inari and her fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade ''kogitsune-maru'' (Little Fox) at the end of the 10th century. The legend is the subject of the [[noh]] drama ''Sanjō Kokaji''.]]

TeraS: /* Kitsunetsuki */

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Kitsunetsuki

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	Exorcism, often performed at an Inari shrine, may induce a fox to leave its host.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 90</ref> In the past, when such gentle measures failed or a priest was not available, victims of ''kitsunetsuki'' were beaten or badly burned in hopes of forcing the fox to leave. Entire families were ostracized by their communities after a member of the family was thought to be possessed.<ref name="Hearn158"/>		Exorcism, often performed at an Inari shrine, may induce a fox to leave its host.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 90</ref> In the past, when such gentle measures failed or a priest was not available, victims of ''kitsunetsuki'' were beaten or badly burned in hopes of forcing the fox to leave. Entire families were ostracized by their communities after a member of the family was thought to be possessed.<ref name="Hearn158"/>

	In Japan, ''kitsunetsuki'' was noted as a disease as early as the Heian period and remained a common diagnosis for mental illness until the early 20th century.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 211</ref><ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 165</ref> Possession was the explanation for the abnormal behavior displayed by the afflicted individuals. In the late 19th century, Dr. Shunichi Shimamura noted that physical diseases that caused fever were often considered ''kitsunetsuki''.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 214–215</ref> The belief has lost favor, but stories of fox possession still appear in the tabloid press and popular media. One notable occasion involved allegations that members of the [[Aum Shinrikyo]] cult had been possessed.<ref>Downey, Jean Miyake. "Ten Thousand Things." [http://www.kyotojournal.org/10,000things/039.html ''Kyoto Journal'' 63]. Retrieved on December 13 2006.</ref>		In Japan, ''kitsunetsuki'' was noted as a disease as early as the Heian period and remained a common diagnosis for mental illness until the early 20th century.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 211</ref><ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 165</ref> Possession was the explanation for the abnormal behavior displayed by the afflicted individuals. In the late 19th century, Dr. Shunichi Shimamura noted that physical diseases that caused fever were often considered ''kitsunetsuki''.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 214–215</ref> The belief has lost favor, but stories of fox possession still appear in the tabloid press and popular media. One notable occasion involved allegations that members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult had been possessed.<ref>Downey, Jean Miyake. "Ten Thousand Things." [http://www.kyotojournal.org/10,000things/039.html ''Kyoto Journal'' 63]. Retrieved on December 13 2006.</ref>

	In medicine, ''kitsunetsuki'' is an ethnic psychosis unique to Japanese culture. Those who suffer from the condition believe they are possessed by a fox.<ref>Haviland, William A. ''Cultural Anthropology'', 10th ed. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 2002. 144–145</ref> Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet red beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. ''Kitsunetsuki'' is similar to but distinct from clinical lycanthropy.<ref>Yonebayashi, T. "Kitsunetsuki (Possession by Foxes)". ''Transcultural Psychiatry'' 1:2 (1964). 95–97</ref>		In medicine, ''kitsunetsuki'' is an ethnic psychosis unique to Japanese culture. Those who suffer from the condition believe they are possessed by a fox.<ref>Haviland, William A. ''Cultural Anthropology'', 10th ed. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 2002. 144–145</ref> Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet red beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. ''Kitsunetsuki'' is similar to but distinct from clinical lycanthropy.<ref>Yonebayashi, T. "Kitsunetsuki (Possession by Foxes)". ''Transcultural Psychiatry'' 1:2 (1964). 95–97</ref>

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Kitsunetsuki

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	Exorcism, often performed at an Inari shrine, may induce a fox to leave its host.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 90</ref> In the past, when such gentle measures failed or a priest was not available, victims of ''kitsunetsuki'' were beaten or badly burned in hopes of forcing the fox to leave. Entire families were ostracized by their communities after a member of the family was thought to be possessed.<ref name="Hearn158"/>		Exorcism, often performed at an Inari shrine, may induce a fox to leave its host.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 90</ref> In the past, when such gentle measures failed or a priest was not available, victims of ''kitsunetsuki'' were beaten or badly burned in hopes of forcing the fox to leave. Entire families were ostracized by their communities after a member of the family was thought to be possessed.<ref name="Hearn158"/>

	In Japan, ''kitsunetsuki'' was noted as a disease as early as the [[Heian period]] and remained a common diagnosis for [[mental illness]] until the early 20th century.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 211</ref><ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 165</ref> Possession was the explanation for the abnormal behavior displayed by the afflicted individuals. In the late 19th century, Dr. Shunichi Shimamura noted that physical diseases that caused fever were often considered ''kitsunetsuki''.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 214–215</ref> The belief has lost favor, but stories of fox possession still appear in the tabloid press and popular media. One notable occasion involved allegations that members of the [[Aum Shinrikyo]] cult had been possessed.<ref>Downey, Jean Miyake. "Ten Thousand Things." [http://www.kyotojournal.org/10,000things/039.html ''Kyoto Journal'' 63]. Retrieved on December 13 2006.</ref>		In Japan, ''kitsunetsuki'' was noted as a disease as early as the Heian period and remained a common diagnosis for mental illness until the early 20th century.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 211</ref><ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 165</ref> Possession was the explanation for the abnormal behavior displayed by the afflicted individuals. In the late 19th century, Dr. Shunichi Shimamura noted that physical diseases that caused fever were often considered ''kitsunetsuki''.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 214–215</ref> The belief has lost favor, but stories of fox possession still appear in the tabloid press and popular media. One notable occasion involved allegations that members of the [[Aum Shinrikyo]] cult had been possessed.<ref>Downey, Jean Miyake. "Ten Thousand Things." [http://www.kyotojournal.org/10,000things/039.html ''Kyoto Journal'' 63]. Retrieved on December 13 2006.</ref>

	In medicine, ''kitsunetsuki'' is an ethnic psychosis unique to Japanese culture. Those who suffer from the condition believe they are possessed by a fox.<ref>Haviland, William A. ''Cultural Anthropology'', 10th ed. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 2002. 144–145</ref> Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet red beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. ''Kitsunetsuki'' is similar to but distinct from [[clinical lycanthropy]].<ref>Yonebayashi, T. "Kitsunetsuki (Possession by Foxes)". ''Transcultural Psychiatry'' 1:2 (1964). 95–97</ref>		In medicine, ''kitsunetsuki'' is an ethnic psychosis unique to Japanese culture. Those who suffer from the condition believe they are possessed by a fox.<ref>Haviland, William A. ''Cultural Anthropology'', 10th ed. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 2002. 144–145</ref> Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet red beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. ''Kitsunetsuki'' is similar to but distinct from clinical lycanthropy.<ref>Yonebayashi, T. "Kitsunetsuki (Possession by Foxes)". ''Transcultural Psychiatry'' 1:2 (1964). 95–97</ref>

	===''Hoshi no tama''===		===''Hoshi no tama''===

TeraS: /* Servants of Inari */

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Servants of Inari

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	[[Image:A man confronted with an apparition of the Fox goddess.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|Inari appears to a warrior. This portrayal of Inari shows the influence of Dakiniten concepts from Buddhism. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.]]		[[Image:A man confronted with an apparition of the Fox goddess.jpg\|left\|thumb\|upright\|Inari appears to a warrior. This portrayal of Inari shows the influence of Dakiniten concepts from Buddhism. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.]]
	===Servants of Inari===		===Servants of Inari===
	Kitsune are associated with Inari, the [[Shinto]] deity of rice.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 76</ref> This association has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 153</ref> Originally, kitsune were Inari's messengers, but the line between the two is now blurred so that Inari himself may be depicted as a fox. Likewise, entire shrines are dedicated to kitsune, where devotees can leave ~~[[offering]]s~~.<ref name="Hearn154"/> Fox spirits are particularly fond of a fried sliced tofu called ''[[aburage]]'', which is accordingly found in kitsune [[udon]] and kitsune [[soba]]. Similarly, ''Inari-zushi'' is a type of [[sushi]] named for Inari that consists of rice-filled pouches of fried tofu.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 96</ref> There is speculation among folklorists as to whether another Shinto fox deity existed in the past. Foxes have long been worshipped as ''kami''.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 77, 81</ref>		Kitsune are associated with Inari, the Shinto deity of rice.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 76</ref> This association has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance.<ref>Hearn. ''Glimpses''. 153</ref> Originally, kitsune were Inari's messengers, but the line between the two is now blurred so that Inari himself may be depicted as a fox. Likewise, entire shrines are dedicated to kitsune, where devotees can leave offerings.<ref name="Hearn154"/> Fox spirits are particularly fond of a fried sliced tofu called ''aburage'', which is accordingly found in kitsune udon and kitsune soba. Similarly, ''Inari-zushi'' is a type of sushi named for Inari that consists of rice-filled pouches of fried tofu.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 96</ref> There is speculation among folklorists as to whether another Shinto fox deity existed in the past. Foxes have long been worshipped as ''kami''.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 77, 81</ref>

	Inari's kitsune are white, a color of good [[omen]].<ref name="Hearn154"/> They possess the power to ward off evil, and they sometimes serve as guardian spirits. In addition to protecting Inari shrines, they are petitioned to intervene on behalf of the locals and particularly to aid against troublesome ''nogitsune''. Black foxes and nine-tailed foxes are likewise considered good omens.<ref name="Ashkenazy148"/>		Inari's kitsune are white, a color of good omen.<ref name="Hearn154"/> They possess the power to ward off evil, and they sometimes serve as guardian spirits. In addition to protecting Inari shrines, they are petitioned to intervene on behalf of the locals and particularly to aid against troublesome ''nogitsune''. Black foxes and nine-tailed foxes are likewise considered good omens.<ref name="Ashkenazy148"/>

	According to beliefs derived from ''fusui'' (''[[feng shui]]''), the fox's power over evil is such that a mere statue of a fox can dispel the evil ''~~[[qi\|~~kimon]]'', or energy, that flows from the northeast. Many Inari shrines, such as the famous [[Fushimi Inari]] shrine in [[Kyoto]], feature such statues, sometimes large numbers of them.		According to beliefs derived from ''fusui'' (''feng shui''), the fox's power over evil is such that a mere statue of a fox can dispel the evil ''kimon'', or energy, that flows from the northeast. Many Inari shrines, such as the famous Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, feature such statues, sometimes large numbers of them.

	Kitsune are connected to the Buddhist religion through the ~~[[Dakini\|~~Dakiniten]], goddesses conflated with Inari's female aspect. Dakiniten is depicted as a female [[boddhisattva]] wielding a sword and riding a flying white fox.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 82–85</ref>		Kitsune are connected to the Buddhist religion through the Dakiniten, goddesses conflated with Inari's female aspect. Dakiniten is depicted as a female boddhisattva wielding a sword and riding a flying white fox.<ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 82–85</ref>

	===Tricksters===		===Tricksters===

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2008-04-12T16:59:37Z

Tricksters

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	[[Image:Fushimi Inari mini torii.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|The Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, Japan features numerous kitsune statues.]]		[[Image:Fushimi Inari mini torii.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|The Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, Japan features numerous kitsune statues.]]

	Kitsune are often presented as ~~[[trickster]]s~~, with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence. Stories tell of kitsune playing tricks on overly proud [[samurai]], greedy merchants, and boastful commoners, while the crueler ones abuse poor tradesmen and farmers or devout Buddhist monks. Their victims are usually men; women are possessed instead.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> For example, kitsune are thought to employ their ''kitsune-bi'' or fox-fire to lead travelers astray in the manner of a [[will o' the wisp]].<ref>Addiss, Stephen. ''Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural''. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. 137</ref><ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 142</ref> Another tactic is for the kitsune to confuse its target with illusions or visions.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> Other common goals of trickster kitsune include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of the prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight.		Kitsune are often presented as tricksters, with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence. Stories tell of kitsune playing tricks on overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful commoners, while the crueler ones abuse poor tradesmen and farmers or devout Buddhist monks. Their victims are usually men; women are possessed instead.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> For example, kitsune are thought to employ their ''kitsune-bi'' or fox-fire to lead travelers astray in the manner of a will o' the wisp.<ref>Addiss, Stephen. ''Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural''. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. 137</ref><ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 142</ref> Another tactic is for the kitsune to confuse its target with illusions or visions.<ref name="Tyler xlix"/> Other common goals of trickster kitsune include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of the prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight.

	A traditional game called ''kitsune-ken'' (''fox-fist'') references the kitsune's powers over human beings. The game is similar to [[rock, paper, scissors]], but the three hand positions signify a fox, a hunter, and a village headman. The headman beats the hunter, whom he outranks; the hunter beats the fox, whom he shoots; the fox beats the headman, whom he bewitches.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 230</ref><ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 98</ref>		A traditional game called ''kitsune-ken'' (''fox-fist'') references the kitsune's powers over human beings. The game is similar to rock, paper, scissors, but the three hand positions signify a fox, a hunter, and a village headman. The headman beats the hunter, whom he outranks; the hunter beats the fox, whom he shoots; the fox beats the headman, whom he bewitches.<ref>Nozaki. ''Kitsune''. 230</ref><ref>Smyers. ''The Fox and the Jewel''. 98</ref>

	This ambiguous portrayal, coupled with their reputation for vengefulness, leads people to try to discover a troublesome fox's motives. In one case, [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], a high government official, wrote a letter to the ''kami'' Inari:		This ambiguous portrayal, coupled with their reputation for vengefulness, leads people to try to discover a troublesome fox's motives. In one case, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a high government official, wrote a letter to the ''kami'' Inari:

	To Inari Daimyojin,		To Inari Daimyojin,
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	My lord, I have the honor to inform you that one of the foxes under your jurisdiction has bewitched one of my servants, causing her and others a great deal of trouble. I have to request that you make minute inquiries into the matter, and endeavor to find out the reason of your subject misbehaving in this way, and let me know the result.		My lord, I have the honor to inform you that one of the foxes under your jurisdiction has bewitched one of my servants, causing her and others a great deal of trouble. I have to request that you make minute inquiries into the matter, and endeavor to find out the reason of your subject misbehaving in this way, and let me know the result.

	If it turns out that the fox has no adequate reason to give for his behavior, you are to arrest and punish him at once. If you hesitate to take action in this matter I shall issue orders for the destruction of every fox in the land. Any other particulars that you may wish to be informed of in reference to what has occurred, you can learn from the high priest of [[Yoshida~~, Shizuoka\|Yoshida]]~~.<ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 137</ref>		If it turns out that the fox has no adequate reason to give for his behavior, you are to arrest and punish him at once. If you hesitate to take action in this matter I shall issue orders for the destruction of every fox in the land. Any other particulars that you may wish to be informed of in reference to what has occurred, you can learn from the high priest of Yoshida.<ref>Hall. ''Half Human''. 137</ref>

	[[Image:Tamamo-no-mae-woodblock.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|Tamamo-no-Mae, a legendary kitsune featured in noh and kyogen plays. Print by Yoshitoshi.]]		[[Image:Tamamo-no-mae-woodblock.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright\|Tamamo-no-Mae, a legendary kitsune featured in noh and kyogen plays. Print by Yoshitoshi.]]